YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told African leaders at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) yesterday that “Africa deserves better treatment and recognition than what it currently receives.”
Addressing the gathering, Guterres said, “We meet at a time of interconnected crisis and deep inequalities and tackling these crises requires a clear focus not only on development for Africa but on development with Africa. I salute Japan for making this its focus for cooperation with the continent.”
The UN chief called for reforms in global institutions, including the UN Security Council, saying, “Africa must have a stronger voice in shaping the decisions that affect its future; that includes the long overdue reform of the Security Council.” He also urged action on debt relief, noting that “34 countries spend more on debt service than they do on health and education.”
Guterres stressed investment in regional integration and technology, noting, “Japan’s technical leadership can help close the divide and ensure that the technology of Africa gets sharp with adequate digital infrastructure.” He added that youth and women must be central to development, saying, “Young people are the builders of Africa’s future… let us invest in women’s full participation across economy and socio-political systems.”
Linking peace to progress, he concluded, “Sustainable development requires sustainable peace… ending violence in all its forms and strengthening social cohesion can attract business and investment to Africa.”
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