South Africa President Ramaphosa Addresses UN General Assembly on Global Peace, Development, and Human Rights

Upholding UN Charter Values

• 🌍 80 years ago, the UN was founded to prevent war and build a peaceful, prosperous world, a mission that requires renewed commitment to its charter values.
• 🤝 South Africa's foreign policy emphasizes cooperation and solidarity, promoting multilateralism and safeguarding institutions that enable it.
• 🇿🇦 The nation's domestic goals of eradicating poverty, reducing unemployment, and addressing inequality are mirrored in its international engagement.

South Africa's G20 Presidency Priorities

• 🌐 South Africa is honored to host the G20 summit, focusing on equality, solidarity, and sustainability.
• ⛈️ Key priorities include strengthening disaster resilience against climate-induced events and ensuring debt sustainability for low-income countries.
• 💡 Discussions will also cover mobilizing finance for a just energy transition and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth through value addition.

Addressing Global Economic and Development Challenges

• 💰 Many developing countries, particularly in Africa and the Global South, struggle with insufficient financial resources and high debt servicing costs, hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.
• ⚖️ Reform of international financial institutions and fairer lending rules are crucial for economic stability and development.
• 📈 The multilateral trading system needs reform, with the WTO remaining vital, though trade is increasingly used as a coercive weapon, exemplified by the economic embargo against Cuba.

Climate Change and Disarmament

• 🔥 Climate change is an existential threat, disproportionately affecting the Global South, reversing development gains and causing food insecurity and displacement.
• 🕊️ Member states must honor commitments on climate action, guided by common but differentiated responsibilities.
• 💣 Global military expenditure has reached historic highs, diverting resources from social infrastructure and development, while progress on nuclear disarmament remains slow.

Peace, Security, and International Law

• 🚨 South Africa is deeply concerned by the erosion of the UN Security Council's credibility and its ineffectiveness in maintaining peace and security, citing deteriorating situations in DRC, Sudan, and Gaza.
• ⚖️ There is a growing global consensus that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and South Africa supports the International Court of Justice's rulings to stop it.
• 🇵🇸 The call for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel is reaffirmed, with recognition of Palestine gaining momentum.
• 🇪🇭 The right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara must also be reaffirmed.

Reforming the United Nations

• 🚺 South Africa reaffirms its commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting the election of a female UN Secretary-General.
• 🏛️ The right to development must be central to UN policies and international financial systems.
• 🌍 A stronger, more capable UN is needed, with Security Council reform being essential to ensure representation and accountability, particularly for Africa and South America.
• 🤝 The UN80 initiative aims to maintain the integrity of the multilateral system and uphold international law, ensuring the UN works more effectively for the next 80 years.