President John Mahama has told world leaders at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York that the UN Charter is outdated and must be reformed to reflect today’s realities.
“Of the 51 Member States involved in the founding of the United Nations in 1945, only four were African: Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, and South Africa,” he said, stressing that Africa’s role was insignificant because the majority of the continent had been carved up at the Berlin Conference of 1884.
“Past is prologue. The majority of the 54 nations that now comprise Africa were never offered a seat at the table where plans for a new World Order were being drawn.”
President Mahama declared that this reality must now change.
“As fate would have it, the tables have turned, and Africa’s role in the authorship of whatever is yet to come for this world will be huge, and it will be consequential. By the year 2050, more than 25% of the world’s population is expected to come from the African continent.
Additionally, by 2050, one-third of all young people, aged 15 to 24, will be residing on the African continent. The future is African. Allow me to say this once again, a little louder for the people in the back. The future is African!”
He said Ghana has shown resilience through its reset agenda, cutting inflation, stabilising its currency, and restoring investor confidence. This, he argued, is proof of Africa’s capacity for transformation.
“I believe that, in honour of this milestone celebration, the United Nations should also embark on a process of serious recalibration and establish its own reset agenda.
“Since the organisation’s founding, the number of UN Member Nations has nearly quadrupled. And, quite frankly, it is not the same world that it was back then.”
Mahama warned that the UN risks obsolescence if it continues to rely on outdated structures.
“The UN founding charter is outdated when it comes to representation. The most powerful post-World War 2 nations are still being rewarded with an almost totalitarian guardianship over the rest of the world.
“If this were truly the case, a continent as large as Africa with its numerous UN Member states would have at least one permanent seat on the Security Council.”
He demanded urgent reform of the Council.
“Furthermore, veto power should not be restricted to five nations, nor should it be absolute. There must be a mechanism for the General Assembly to challenge a veto. No single nation should be able to exercise an absolute veto to serve its own interests in a conflict.”
Quoting Nelson Mandela’s 1995 speech at the UN, Mahama said Africa’s demand for a permanent seat with veto powers remains unanswered.
“Thirty years later, we African leaders are still making the same request: for a permanent seat on the Security Council, with the power of veto. So, today, Madam President, I stand here in this exact spot, asking: if not now, then when?”
President Mahama also called for reform of the global financial system.
“We demand not only a reform of the Security Council, but also a reset of the global financial architecture, which is currently rigged against Africa. Africa must have a greater say in the world’s multilateral financial institutions.”
He condemned the blockade on Cuba, reaffirmed Ghana’s support for a two-state solution for Palestine, and urged the world to confront crimes in Gaza.
“It doesn’t matter what you call it: if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, well then… It must be a duck. The crimes in Gaza must stop.”
On migration, President Mahama called for fairness.
“Let’s dispense with euphemisms and dog-whistles and speak frankly. It’s not a mystery that when leaders of Western nations complain of their migration problems, they are often referring to immigrants from the Global South.
“Many of those migrants are climate refugees. Interestingly, the Global North emits 75% more greenhouse gases than the Global South. However, the effects of climate change are more severe in the Global South because we lack the resources to address them effectively.”
He said cruelty, xenophobia and racism cannot be normalised. “If we are going to tell a story, let’s not tell it slant. Let’s tell all the truth. These are not invaders or criminals.”
President Mahama announced Ghana’s intention to table a motion on reparations for slavery and colonialism.
“The slave trade must be recognised as the greatest crime against humanity. We must demand reparations for the enslavement of our people and the colonisation of our land that resulted in the theft of natural resources, as well as the looting of artefacts and other items of cultural heritage that have yet to be returned in total.”
He said Africa must exercise sovereignty over its natural resources.
“The days of parcelling out vast concession areas to foreign interests for exploitation must come to an end. We will continue to welcome foreign investment, but we must negotiate better for a bigger share of the natural resources that belong to us.”
President Mahama closed with a call for equality and representation.
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing. For the sake of Africa, and quite selfishly, for the sake of my 18-year-old daughter, I hope this new world that is arriving is a place of safety and equality for women and girls. Words matter, but issues of representation matter even more.”
