Leaders not beggars: Africa at UNGA79

By Mumbi Mutuko,

Heads of State gather each year at the United Nations in New York to discuss the world’s future. Decisions that shape our planet are made here. This year, Africa takes centre stage at the UN General Assembly. 

Cameroon’s former Prime Minister Philémon Yang is leading the 79th Session under the theme “Unity and Diversity for Advancing Peace, Sustainable Development, and Human Dignity.”  

This time, African voices were louder than ever, pushing the continent’s agenda to the forefront. The urgency to meet Africa’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is clear. Time is also running out. 

Africa is no longer asking for a seat at the table. It demands to be heard.  

As the world navigates issues like peace, digital access, youth empowerment and governance, Africa must be at the heart of these conversations. For several reasons.  

Foremost, the Pact for the Future adopted at the summit is a strong step towards addressing Africa's pressing needs. 

The themes of sustainable development, peace and security, a digital future for all, youth and future generations and global governance addressed in the pact are extremely relevant for the continent. Not just today but also in the future.  

The $1.3 trillion challenge 

Africa needs $1.3 trillion annually to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. That number is staggering, but so is the importance and urgency of hitting this target.  

For Africa, sustainable development is not just a buzzword about socioeconomic growth. It is about survival. Achieving the SDGs would mean better food systems, healthcare, education, clean water and a sustainable environment for millions of Africans.  

These goals represent the foundation of a future where poverty, hunger and inequality are reduced.  

However, the big question is: where will the money come from?  

Sustainable development experts have been calling on African leaders to prioritise investment in the SDGs by creating an environment where enterprise thrives. In the absence of such investments, Africa risks falling behind the rest of the world and, effectively, complicating the dream of a prosperous future for the continent.  

45 million – and counting – displaced  

Africa is home to more than 45 million people who have forcibly been displaced from their homes due to conflict. This is more than any other region in the world.  

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that 7.1 million people have been displaced from their homes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone. 

The ongoing armed conflict and political instability in the DRC has created one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in modern history, with far-reaching socioeconomic implications. 

Owing to the widespread violence, life has been disrupted, economic activities affected and development upended for years. Africa cannot flourish with its population always on the run.  

Meanwhile, climate change has intensified conflict across Africa in recent years, by worsening resource scarcity, particularly water, pasture and arable land.  

Solving these challenges requires national, regional and global interventions and solutions can only be attained through solidarity and support. Solutions must come from within the continent where governments, civil society and bodies like the African Union work together to find common ground.   

Most importantly, Africans must seek to address the root causes of conflict, including poverty, bad governance and political instability, that feed the violence that forces millions to flee their homes.  

Digital access 

Multiple studies show that only about 25% of Africans have access to online platforms. Sub-Saharan Africa holds half of the world’s population without mobile broadband, according to GSMA. This digital divide is leaving millions behind as the world accelerates towards the digital economy and revolution.  

For Africa, closing this gap means more than access—it means empowerment of its youthful population to take up digital opportunities in education, careers and healthcare. 

Afrilabs, a network organisation that supports innovation centers in Africa says governments and development partners must ‘‘invest in state-of-the-art data centers, expand cloud computing capabilities and ensure reliable and fast communication networks.’’  

Building this infrastructure, Afrilabs says, must go beyond building the physical infrastructure to include implementing policies that promote innovation, protect data privacy and ensure cybersecurity.  

Without such urgent investmentsin Africa’s digital infrastructure, the continent risks exclusion from the digital future and prosperity. 

Youth: Africa’s greatest asset 

Sixty per cent of Africa’s population is under 25. By 2100, half of the world’s youth will be African. This is both a challenge and an attractive opportunity. Africa’s young people will shape the future of the continent and the world by driving economic transformation and inclusive and sustainable growth.  

To date, this opportunity remains largely untapped. Most young Africans do not have secure jobs – or jobs at all – or access to better economic opportunities. 

Africa’s youth can play a key role in climate action through entrepreneurship, technology, innovation and advocacy. Tapping into their skills will unlock opportunities for promoting green, inclusive growth and sustainable development. 

Adaptation, for instance, will create jobs as countries accelerate climate action and resilience building efforts. This green transition requires large-scale investments, capital allocation and labour.  

But to unlock this potential, Africa must invest in the education, skills, health and wellbeing of its youth.  

A seat at the table 

Africa is home to 1.4 billion people or 18 percent of the world’s population, according to Mo Ibrahim Foundation. The continent is the largest bloc at the United Nations, with 28 percent of the votes.   

Curiously, though, Africa does not have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Why is this the case? 

This lack of representation reflects a broader issue of historical imbalance and injustice. For decades, Africa has deliberately been sidelined in global decision-making processes. This is despite its enormous contributions to global solutions and the impact of global policies on the continent. 

The time has never been riper for Africa to get seats on the table. The era of being regarded as beggars must stop. The UN’s and world’s top decision-making organs must be expanded to accommodate all.  

Having Philemon Yang, the former Prime Minister of Cameroon, serve as President of UNGA 79 demonstrates the UN’s willingness to live up to this year’s theme, ‘‘Leaving No One Behind’’. However, it takes more than just leading debate for Africans to be included. Action is necessary.  

A successful Africa will contribute much more to global prosperity. We cannot be left behind.