Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan President and African Union Chairperson, João Lourenço, on Tuesday advocated urgent restoration of UN authority, based on the United Nations Charter and international law.
Speaking at the 80th United Nations General Assembly, João Lourenço argued that this restoration must be free from double standards, ensuring fair solutions to the war in Ukraine and other international conflicts.
The Angolan statesman argued that, as Ukraine is a European country, following US President Donald Trump’s pragmatism in meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it would be equally expected that European leaders, in the interest of European peace and security, would seek dialogue not only with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but also with the Russian President.
“We cannot afford to waste this opportunity, otherwise we risk witnessing an escalation of unpredictable proportions and consequences, not only in Europe, where the forces must abandon the dangerous calculations based on the idea of military victory based on the weakening of adversary capabilities,” he warned.
João Lourenço emphasized that, given the current difficulties and the global crisis, the UN must reemerge and become more active, preventing its role as the primary global governance body from being diluted and becoming an institution incapable of ensuring global peace.
“The United Nations, in its current form, is the only organization capable of acting on behalf of all of us, seeking global consensus in favor of peace, with the legitimacy to call to account those Member States that undermine its foundations on the international stage,” he emphasized, adding that, therefore, it must be preserved and adapted to contemporary realities through urgent reforms.
Security Council Reform
Regarding reforms, the Angolan Head of State reiterated his defense of the common African position, established in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which provide for two permanent and five non-permanent seats for Africa in an expanded Security Council that is more representative and aligned with the current geopolitical reality.
Without this essential step, which is already delayed and hardly justifiable, he maintained that the implementation of the Compact for the Future, adopted last year, cannot be ensured. This Pact recognized the urgent need to provide the United Nations with a more democratic and balanced Security Council.
According to João Lourenço, this Pact represents a unique opportunity to revitalize multilateralism, making it more comprehensive, and should serve as a basis for discussions on sensitive current issues, such as financing for development and climate challenges.
Financing for Development
When addressing matters related to development support, the Republic considered it fair to highlight the Seville Commitment, reached at the 4th Conference on Financing for Development, which advocates for the urgent reform of International Financial Institutions.
According to the statesman, this reform should make them more representative, inclusive, and capable of responding to the immense needs of developing countries, particularly those on the African continent.
João Lourenço expressed his conviction that this instrument, combined with the Future Pact, the United Nations Tax Convention, and the United Nations Debt Convention, still under discussion, will function together as a political, financial, and regulatory platform that will significantly advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: ANGOP
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