UN Secretary-General’s media engagement with Minister Ronald Lamula at the Department of International Relations in Pretoria South Africa

Ladies and gentlemen of the media,  

It is wonderful to be back in South Africa.

I thank President Ramaphosa and Minister Lamola for receiving me today.

As we speak, we are witnessing the reshaping of the Middle East, with the immense tragedy of the Palestinian people, but with the signs of hope coming from the end of the Syrian dictatorship.

The UN is totally committed to supporting a smooth transition of power, with an inclusive political process in which the rights of all minorities will be fully respected, and paving the way towards a united Syria with its territorial integrity fully reestablished.

My Special Envoy, Geir Pedersen, is engaging all key actors to contribute to these objectives.  I fully trust the Syrian people, to be able to choose their own destiny.

I am here on a mission of solidarity — and a mission for justice.

And I am here at a critical time as South Africa assumes the presidency of the G20.

This continent’s potential is without question.  

Africa is home to a young and growing population, rich cultural and natural diversity, and a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit.

But this enormous potential continues to be held back by injustices that are deeply rooted in the history of colonialism.  

Injustice in the lack of African representation and voice in key global decision-making tables — from the global financial architecture to the UN Security Council.

Injustice in conflicts that inflict enormous pain and suffering across the continent.

Injustice in today’s global financial system, which loads countries with debt service costs while denying them access to sufficient low-cost financing to fight poverty, inequality and hunger and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

Injustice in worsening climate chaos — which Africans did virtually nothing to cause — that fuels floods, storms, hunger and deadly droughts.

I stand side-by-side with President Ramaphosa and the people of Africa in this fight for justice on all fronts.

Africa needs financial justice.

In September, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future.

The Pact includes commitments for ambitious reforms to make the international financial architecture representative of today’s global economy and put the needs of developing countries front and centre.

It calls for action to move forward with an SDG Stimulus…

To substantially increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to make them bigger, bolder and better...

And to mobilize more international and domestic resources, public and private, for vital investments.

Last week I appointed a group of leading experts to galvanize international support for action on debt, and I’m delighted that Trevor Manuel will be part of this important work.

Africa needs climate justice.

The continent stands on the frontlines of the climate crisis.  

Despite causing minimal emissions, climate change is pummeling your people and pounding your economies.

Africa is warming faster than the global average.

We must limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to stop this crisis from spiraling even further out of control.

By next year, countries must deliver new economy-wide national climate action plans — or NDCs — aligned with 1.5 degrees.

As the biggest emitters, the G20 must lead the way.  

These new plans must cover all emissions and the whole economy, accelerate fossil fuel phase-out, and contribute to the energy transition goals agreed at COP28.

Developed countries must also support emerging economies with technological capacities and know-how to drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption and accelerate the renewables revolution swiftly and fairly.

This means creating innovative models of international cooperation, such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership.

This also means developed countries fulfilling their finance commitments by keeping their promise to double adaptation finance, and meaningfully contributing to the Loss and Damage Fund.

Throughout, the world must help Africa build green economies anchored in renewable energy.  

It is an absurdity that Africa is home to 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources — but only two per cent of global investments in solar power.

We must change this.

And we must ensure that Africa’s critical mineral resources -- that can power the renewables revolution worldwide -- benefit Africans first and most.

We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past.

The UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, co-chaired by South Africa, identified a set of principles and recommendations to empower communities, create accountability, and ensure that clean energy drives equitable and resilient growth, with maximum added value for producing countries.

Africa needs technological justice.

Africa cannot be left behind in the technological revolution or be denied a voice as the world develops guardrails to harness the benefits of this technology, and minimize the risks.

Artificial Intelligence is a perfect example.

The Global Digital Compact adopted in September includes the first universal agreement on AI governance that brings every country to the table.

It calls for an independent international Scientific Panel on AI and initiating a global dialogue on its governance within the United Nations.

And it requests options for innovative voluntary financing for AI capacity-building in developing countries.

And, fundamentally, Africa needs the justice that only peace can bring.

The United Nations will keep working to prevent and defuse the conflicts that plague the continent.

This includes the nightmare in Sudan.

We need all parties silencing the guns and committing to a path towards sustainable peace and accountability for the Sudanese people.

We will also strengthen our collaboration to advance human rights and counter terrorism and violent extremism.

The UN Security Council’s recent resolution to support African-led peace operations is a welcome step towards strengthening our partnership.  

And we must heed the Pact for the Future’s call to explore expanding representation on the UN Security Council — a glaring example of injustice in the international peace and security architecture.  

Ladies and gentlemen,

As this year draws to a close, I have a simple message:

2025 must be a year of justice for Africa.

I look forward to working with the G20 Presidency of South Africa to help deliver justice for the people of this great continent.