Guterres calls for reform to grant Africa broader global representation

NAIROBI: UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for reforming the international system to grant African nations broader representation in global governance.

He made the remarks as he today officially opened new office facilities and laid the foundation stone for a major conference complex at the UN Office in Nairobi (UNON), where he stated that Africa is a vital source of solutions for global peace and development.

Joined by Kenyan President William Ruto, the Secretary-General highlighted that these new facilities are the first zero-emissions UN installations in the region, operating entirely on solar power.

The $340 million expansion project is set to transform the Gigiri complex into the third-largest UN conference center globally, following New York and Geneva, with a new amphitheater capable of hosting 9,000 delegates. The project also emphasises environmental stewardship through the reforestation of the area with thousands of indigenous trees and ensures universal accessibility for people with disabilities.

Guterres argued that current global governance and financial systems remain rooted in an era that marginalised Africa, describing the continent as a double victim of colonialism.

He criticised a global financial structure where African nations face interest rates significantly higher than those of developed countries and insisted that true international justice requires permanent African representation on the UN Security Council and a shift in the quotas of the IMF and World Bank.