UN Secretary-General Calls on G20 to Reform Global Institutions and Boost Africa’s Voice
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the G20 nations to leverage their collective power to ease global suffering and steer the world toward a more peaceful trajectory. The UN Chief made the remarks at a media briefing after arriving in Johannesburg for the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
Mr. Guterres stressed that the world’s largest economies hold “enormous potential” to effect change, adding that he would use the Summit to call on G20 members to utilize their influence to drive necessary action.
Highlighting the displacement of crucial resources, the Secretary-General pointed out that rising military spending is actively drawing resources away from development goals.
A central theme of his address was global fairness, particularly concerning Africa. Mr. Guterres lamented that the continent remains “woefully under-represented across global institutions,” a situation he insisted “must change.” Furthermore, he issued a strong plea for G20 members to help ease debt burdens for developing nations by deploying new financial instruments designed to reduce borrowing costs and risks.
