Africa Urges UN Member States To Fight Social Inequalities

During their speeches at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Thursday, African Presidents emphasized the need for the world to unite in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and social inequalities.

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"As the first female president in the history of my country, the burden of expectation to deliver gender equality is heavier on my shoulder," Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan said, warning that COVID-19 is threatening "to roll back the gains that women have made."

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi called on UN member states to fulfill their pledges made to Africa in compensation for the sacrifices agreed to protect humanity against global warming. "Africa does not need charity but constructive win-win partnerships," he stressed.

Tshisekedi also urged African countries to work together to combat terrorism, which he warned was gaining a foothold in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Burkina Faso.

“The global community has not sustained the principles of solidarity and cooperation in securing equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines," South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa stated, adding that it was an indictment on humanity that over 82 percent of the global vaccines have been acquired by wealthy countries, while less than 1 percent has gone to low-income countries.

 "Unless we address this as a matter of urgency, the pandemic will last much longer, and new mutations of the virus will emerge and spread," he warned and urged all member states to support the proposal to temporarily waive certain World Trade Organization (WTO) intellectual property rights to allow more countries, particularly low and middle-income countries, to start producing COVID-19 vaccines.

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo also said that the African Union (AU) shall be part of the G20 group, which comprises 19 countries nations and the European Union. "With the AU, this group would have representation for 54 more countries, accounting for about 3 billion people and US$2,3 trillion output," he stressed.