Guterres urges global collaboration to counter terrorism, extremism across Africa

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 4thJuly. UN head Antonio Guterres on Wednesday has called to strengthen the global collaboration to counter terrorism and extremism across Africa from Sudan and the Horn of Africa to the Sahel, the Great Lakes region and beyond.

Mr. Guterres in a video message to the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, said that the international community must support Africa’s potential as the world’s food basket and its ambition to become a renewable energy superpower while making sure that critical minerals benefit Africans in the first place, media reported.

“Above all, we need peace,” he stressed.

He noted “We must strengthen our collaboration to safeguard human rights, counter terrorism and violent extremism, and silence the guns across Africa from Sudan and the Horn of Africa to the Sahel, the Great Lakes region and beyond.”

Guterres said that the UN Security Council resolution calls to support peace operations led by regional partners, noted the African Union, with mandates from the Council and funded by assessed contributions, “will help us do this,”.

He added that the Aswan forum arrives at a difficult moment for Africa and the global family, as sustainable peace and development are being obstructed by enormous challenges that affect Africa and Africans, “in outsized ways”.

SG said that from poverty, hunger, inequalities, climate change, and crushing debt burdens, to conflicts, terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government, “the path forward is clear.”

“We must accelerate efforts to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals,” he noted.

He said that affordable, long-term financing is the fuel of development, but many African countries are running on empty.

Guterres emphasized that they need massive debt relief, lower borrowing costs, and expanded access to concessional finance.

“That is why I am calling for an SDG Stimulus, and deep reforms to the global financial architecture, so developing countries can invest in jobs, gender equality and education  the African Union’s theme this year,” he added.

He said that Africa also needs “a quantum leap” in infrastructure development to support the people and economies of the continent, including massive investments in universal electrification, broadband access and closing the digital divide.

Guterres added that the forum’s theme this year, “Africa in a Changing World: Re-Envisioning Global Governance for Peace and Development,” also reminds us of the need to re-envision global governance, and amplify Africa’s voice and leadership on the world stage, including the UN Security Council and across the global financial system.

“I look forward to strong and vocal African leadership at September’s Summit of the Future in New York,” he concluded his remarks.

The fourth Aswan forum is held in Cairo this week.