AFRICAN GROUP STATEMENT BY H.E. AMBASSADOR MATETE NENA AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLENARY MEETING ON THE GA PRESIDENT'S PRIORITIES

  Delivered by H.E. Ambassador Matete Nena, Permanent Representative of Lesotho to the United Nations & Chair of the African Group for the month of January

14th January 2025

Madam President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group.

At the outset, the African Group extends its appreciation to you, Madam President, for convening this meeting to brief the membership on your priorities for the resumed part of the Eightieth Session. We commend your leadership and reaffirm the Group’s commitment to constructive and continued engagement with you throughout this pivotal session.

Madam President,

The African Group aligns itself with the statement of the Group of 77 and China.

The Eightieth Session convenes at a critical juncture for multilateralism. Your theme, “Better Together,” resonates deeply with the African Group’s conviction that no Member State, regardless of size or resources, can address today’s challenges in isolation. As we mark the Eightieth Anniversary of the United Nations, the African Group calls upon all Member States to renew their commitment to the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter and to strengthen the Organisation’s capacity to deliver tangible outcomes for all peoples.

Madam President,

Africa continues to confront multifaceted challenges, including the devastating impacts of climate change, rising food insecurity, conflicts affecting millions of our people, unsustainable debt burdens, and limited access to essential health services and development finance. These challenges are compounded by an international environment characterised by growing fragmentation and pressures on the multilateral system. The African Group emphasises that sustainable solutions require genuine international cooperation, adequate and predictable financing, and respect for the development aspirations of all nations.

Madam President,

The resumed part of this session presents significant opportunities to advance African priorities. The African Group looks forward to the following mandated events and processes:

First, the High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June 2026 offers an opportunity to reinvigorate global commitment to ending the epidemic by 2030. Africa, which bears a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS, calls for ambitious targets and adequate resources to ensure that no one is left behind.

Second, the High-Level Meeting on Sea-Level Rise is of existential importance. While African small island developing States and coastal nations face immediate threats, the entire continent is affected by climate-induced displacement and economic disruption. The African Group calls for action-oriented outcomes that address adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance.

Third, the High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response must build on lessons learned and strengthen health systems, particularly in developing countries. Africa’s experience during COVID-19 underscored the urgent need for equitable access to medical countermeasures and local manufacturing capacity.

Madam President,

The African Group underscores the importance of implementing the Pact for the Future, which was shaped with significant African input. We recall that the Pact calls for permanent seats for Africa on the Security Council as articulated in Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, reforms to the international financial architecture, and measures to close the digital divide. The African Group expects the resumed session to advance concrete steps toward realising these commitments.

On the UN80 Initiative, the African Group reiterates that reform must strengthen, not diminish, the Organisation’s capacity to serve developing countries. Any efficiency measures must preserve the delivery of mandates that serve African development priorities. The Group will engage constructively in the mandate review process to ensure that African interests are protected and that reforms are implemented in accordance with established intergovernmental procedures.

Madam President,

The African Group notes that 2025 is designated by the African Union as the Year

of Reparations: Justice for Africans and People of African Descent. We welcome

the General Assembly’s proclamation of the Second International Decade for People

of African Descent and call for substantive actions to address the enduring legacies

of slavery, colonialism, and systemic racism. The Africa Dialogue Series and related

initiatives during this session provide important platforms to advance this agenda.

On the selection of the next Secretary-General, the African Group emphasises the

importance of a transparent, inclusive, and merit-based process.

Madam President,

The African Group reaffirms its commitment to advancing Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We call for accelerated action to mobilise the means of implementation, including through reform of the international financial architecture, debt relief, technology transfer, and capacity-building. The outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development must translate into concrete commitments that address the structural barriers facing African countries.

Finally, the African Group welcomes the focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment during this session, particularly as we build on the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. We support efforts to strengthen the women and peace and security agenda and to ensure women’s full participation in decision-making at all levels.

Madam President,

In conclusion, the African Group pledges its full support for the priorities you have

outlined and stands ready to work constructively with you and all Member States to

ensure a successful resumed session. The Group will continue to advocate for unity,

equity, and fairness in all multilateral processes.

I thank you, Madam President.