Introduction
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was created in 1945 at San Francisco, Califirnia, in the United States of America (USA). As a global deliberative, policy-formulation and decision-making organ of the United Nations (UN), the UNGA comprises 193 member states and serves as a unique forum for multilateral discussion of a range of international issues mandated by the United Nation’s Charter (The Charter). Similarly, it plays a critical role in the processes of setting standards and codification of international law. Further, the UNGA offers recommendations to states on international issues spanning-politics, economics, humanitarian, legal and social exegeses. Against that background, this blog seeks to reflect on a small sample of the speeches delivered by African heads of states at the just ended 78th session with a view to assessing the strategic policy directions of those leaders in guiding the wellbeing of the peoples and continent as a whole.
A sample of the Speeches
Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa:
Mounting the podium to address the UNGA, President Ramaphosa talked about his country’s effort to promote the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizenry by devising strategic measures to achieve the principles of sustainable development goals (SDGs) at home and across the region. Also, Mr Ramaphosa singularly stated that his administration is bent on enhancing gender equality and representation in politics and thus brought an all- female delegation of thirty women to the UNGA as a measure of shaping them as critical partners and astute politicians for the country and continent. Besides modest achievements in domestic SDGs initiatives, he alluded to efforts made by South Africa in promoting peace initiatives in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, parts of Africa and Cuba. Contrary, and as peculiar of all African leaders at each UNGA, Ramaphosa called for a fair multilateral system which advances the wellbeing of Africans through equitable and just international financial credit schemes that support the socio-economic developmental needs of Africans. Clearly, Ramaphosa’s speech is not different from his African compatriots at the 78th Session because it reiterated the status- quo of blaming the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Funds (IMF)’s economic policies as militating against the fortunes of African, yet did not propose any creative African solution as a regional economic power.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pitched his address with accusations of the international community and the developed states of broken promises to support Africa politically, economically and socially; and called on the international community for global solidarity anchored in fair trade, and supported by equal cooperation with African states to realise the tenets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the other key points of Mr Tinubu’s speech are: industrial expansion and equitable distribution of global wealth among African states; good leadership and governance in the region; sustainable job creation strategies to offer opportunities for the teeming youth; eradication of corrupt practices in public institutions and private places; and partnership with global economic institutions to propel the African growth initiatives, including strengthening the Economic Cooperation of West African States (ECOWAS). As one of the biggest economies in the sub-region and continent of Africa, is it ridiculous that President Tinubu would lace his speech with litany of pleas to foreign and external governments without proposing an African socio-economic programme that will advance the fortunes of the region and his country. Although he is the current President of ECOWAS yet the organisation is floundering because of feeble leadership to articulate clear direction or inspire hope among the masses.
Nana Akuffo- Addo Dankwa- President of Ghana
On his part, President Nana Addo stated that: “Today the world is not a happy place because there is little confidence in the United Nations system and insecurity across the face of the globe.” And there is reluctance among major powers to reform the United Nations (UN) especially the Security Council to reflect the needs of the largest populations of the world- Africa and Asia; and also, a failure to concretise efforts to resolve conflicts in parts of the Sahel region of Africa. He further criticised the UN’s unwillingness to condemn the Russian expedition in Ukraine by sponsoring appropriate resolution. Nana Addo further intimated Africa’s struggle to curtail the conflicts dotting the region as well as emphasised Europe’s active contribution in sponsoring destabilisation activities in the continent. Characteristically, African leaders including President Nana Addo, are savvy and smooth orators in speeches at the UN and related fora; however, the import of their speeches are not only hollow and devoid of substantive policies but also portray them as chronic beggars with cups in hands seeking international aids.
Paul Kigame, President of Rwanda
There is a Ghanaian adage which literally translates as “good words are always simple and short.” And that adage epitomises the persona and traits of the Rwandan president, Paul Kigame. Taking his turn at the UN podium, Mr Kigame made a simple economic point with an African flavour that “developing states are constrained by high debts characterised by higher interest rates; and face currency and economic challenges which could be resolved by development cooperation from the western and advanced states. He also advocated for the urgent implementation of the Paris Amendment Protocol with a view to channelling financial resources to enhance human development globally. Furthermore, Mr Kigame called for a concerted strategy to eliminate the various crises plaquing Africa and sections of the world by appealing to the UN to help member states find effective remedies to the migration crisis; so as, to repose confidence among the teeming youth and to prevent them from undertaking perilous journeys across the desert, Oceans and other land masses in search for greener pastures. Indeed, Kigame’s focused vision of transforming Rwandan into self-sufficiency state and to safeguard the dignity of the citizenry is manifestly evidenced in the remarkable socio-economic policies that had been implemented in the country. No wonder his speech was poignant and concise. His leadership style should be promoted as a case-study to educate fellow African leaders throughout the continent.
Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Vice President of Uganda
Bringing some freshness to the often male-dominated UN session, Jessica represented Uganda and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in delivering her country’s address to the international community. At the core of her address, Jessica called for revitalisation of multilateralism to combat the global vices undercutting the worth of Africans by focusing keenly on: injustices against Africans; timely implementation of SDGs; strategies to pursue peace and security in conflict-prone states within the AU; devise measures to stem refugee crisis in Africa; promote mutual respect for the sovereignty and cultural equality of African states as well as invited developed states and international organisations to honour their pledge of the $100 billion to combat climate change crisis in Africa and beyond the region. While the concerns raised by Jessica were legitimate, it did not shed the usual tenor of pointing accusing fingers at external powers as the major cause of African’s tribulations. As a critical global platform to articulate individual nationalistic, social, economic, political and foreign policies to project the region to the world in favourable light, most African leaders including Jessica with the exception of Paul Kigame, turned the session into a begging and accusation forum. A trait that exposes them as visionless and bereft of creative leadership acumen.
Salva Kiir Mayardit, Presidentt of South Sudan
President Salva Kiir prefaced his address by stating thus “since the last General Assembly the lives of people have not improved and the tragedy of low wages requires the implementation of the Global Compact.” Without denying the veracity of low wages as a chronic social vice bedevilling majority of working class in Africa, one would have expected Mr Kiir to fashion domestic economic policies to address the menace by responsibly managing the mineral resources of his country and deploy the proceeds altruistically to uplift the masses from poverty. He also condemned the spate of coup d’ etat and its associated terrorist activities in South Sudan and across the region. Furthermore, Kiir forcefully made the point that peace keeping efforts in Africa is ineffective whilst multilateralism in its current state is antiquated, fragmented and needs reformulation to reflect the exegesis of the contemporary world. Alluding to the nemesis of climate change and its impact on the economies of African states, Kiir accused the Bretton Wood institutions as playing a key role in undermining green projects in Africa; and thus urged the international community to release pledged funds to resolve and protect the sustainability of the region. Blinded by accusations against foreign states/international organisations, Kiir lost sight of his mandate as president of South Sudan to plan the wellbeing of his people by mobilising domestic resources efficiently in this regard. Although the sampled speeches in this blog are limited in number and thus do not represent the entire viewpoints of African leaders; yet, considering the nature and pattern of the current speeches vis-à-vis previous years, it is safe to suggest that the presence of African leaders at the 78th UNGA is a waste of the people’s finances.
The 78th UNGA Session, a waste of the people’s finances
Through the prism of the sampled speeches thus far, African leaders seemed to have wasted the financial resources of their peoples because the prestigious forum offered them by the UNGA has been repeatedly transformed into a begging forum without concretely and substantively articulating a social, economic or political policy programme that advances the unique challenges of Africans. Rehearsing monotonous speeches which accuse external forces without devising a comprehensive African-centred programmes to promote the continent’s independence is synonymous to reverting to the slavery era. Also, the fact that African leaders visit the UNGA with a large number of delegations to deliver speeches that last few minutes testifies to the wastage of states resources. Often these delegations use the forum to shop from expensive designer shops dotting the commercial avenues of down-town New York. African leaders must look inward and endeavour to grow their states and the continent from within since external help is not the solution.
