Madagascar
President Andry Rajoelina addressed the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday. He spoke about confronting the “invisible enemy” of COVID-19 and the “painful reality” it has inflicted in terms of deaths, jobs lost, and general economic decline, noting that developing countries are at particular risk.
He said that under his leadership, Madagascar has set a goal of achieving “healthcare for all” as part of a wider vision of self-sufficiency. Rajoelina has charted a plan of building new hospitals and primary healthcare centres in all regional districts, schools, transport and agricultural infrastructure, social housing units, gymnasiums, and sporting stadiums and is also on the verge of unveiling a new city.
Next, he talked about the devastating impact of climate change, seen in rising sea levels, drought, desertification, and the growing challenges of conducting all forms of subsistence activities. To this end, he lamented that the countries in the Southern hemisphere, most of whom have not contributed to this man-made climate change, are paying a “heavy price.” He thus called on every state to “act in an equitable fashion and commensurate with their polluting activities.”
He then called for France to honour its decolonisation commitments in terms of the Îles Éparses, or the scattered islands in the Indian Ocean, as dictated by two United Nations resolutions on the matter.
Ghana
President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was re-elected in December, began his speech by hailing how between 2017 and 2020 Ghana recorded an average growth rate of 7%, even during the pandemic, highlighting how his government has been successful in building a “Ghana beyond aid.”
In his capacity as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, however, Akufo-Addo, pointed to how the continent’s economy as a whole has contracted by 2.1% and how 30 million Africans fell into extreme poverty in 2020 and a further 40 million are predicted to meet the same fate this year. He hailed the $2 billion initiative by the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Force as a “critical milestone” but nonetheless called for an end to “vaccine nationalism.” The Ghanaian leader also stressed the need for patent waivers on vaccines and related products to accelerate vaccine distribution and administration.
Furthermore, Akufo-Addo lamented that some European countries have yet to recognise the India-manufactured Covishield vaccine, despite the fact that it was donated through the COVAX initiative. He thus declared: “The use of vaccines as a tool for immigration control would be a truly retrogressive step.”
Next, he called for increased funding for global health organisations and for the development of more resilient economies and $100 billion in special drawing rights for African countries, which would involve the redistribution of funds from developed to developing countries. Akufo-Addo said these funds would be used to fund vaccine acquisition and manufacturing, climate and green investment, a pan-African stability mechanism, the recapitalisation of the African Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank, and to support the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
The Ghanaian president also emphasised on the need for the reform of international institutions to “reflect inclusiveness” by supporting investment in global public goods, and ensuring fast-track financial support. One of the proposals he made was for the G20 to made into the G21 by adding the African Union in order to offer representation for 54 more countries and 1.3 billion more people.
Akufo-Addo then asserted that the recent coups in Guinea and Mali reflect a wider global trend of the erosion of democracy.
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Sierra Leone
President Julius Maada Bio began his speech by stressing the need for universal vaccine access and equity, tackling poverty and inequality, addressing climate change, and promoting gender equality and the protection of human rights.
Bio emphasised that his administration is committed to routing out corruption in order to facilitate a more conducive business environment, particularly in light of the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic. He also took time to thank China, France, the United States, the COVAX initiative, and other international institutions for vaccine deliveries. Bio further thanked Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, for boosting access to vaccines for various illnesses in the country.
The Sierra Leone leader also talked about how he wishes for his country to perceived in a different light, so as to distance itself from an era of civil strife, political suppression, Ebola, and food insecurity, and instead transform itself into a “peaceful democracy.” He noted that political opposition and journalists now have greater freedoms, that the death penalty has been abolished, and that the government has adapted to evolving educational requirements during this pandemic, placing greater focus on distance learning and access to education for girls and people in remote communities.
He then celebrated increased “internet penetration” and greater energy access through solar energy and said that Sierra Leone “looks forward” to participating in the upcoming COP26 conference in Glasgow.
In addition, Bio called for the advancement of decolonisation measures to facilitate greater harmony and peace, saying that the world cannot continue to ignore the voices of over one billion Africans. He thus said that Africa must be allowed to play its “rightful role on the global stage” to address “historical injustices” through two permanent seats in the UN Security Council (UNSC) and an additional two non-permanent seats. This, he said, would make the UNSC more “representative, inclusive, democratic transparent, and accountable.”
Kenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta delivered a pre-recorded video message in which he began by calling for global vaccine equity and “tangible climate financial support” to developing countries and for green manufacturing bases be set up in these countries. Kenyatta also called for the ‘realignment’ of conflict resolution tools to adapt to evolving threats to regional and global security. He then said that states must be empowered to “manage diversity and regional trust between citizens and institutions and between citizens and their leaders.”
On the topic of vaccine equity and multilateral reform, Kenyatta said that the “asymmetry in the supply of vaccines reflects a multilateral system that is unfortunately in urgent need of repair.”
Regarding climate action, he said that Kenya is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32% by 2030. He also talked about ocean-based climate solutions to reducing Kenya’s carbon footprint and looked ahead to a conference with Portugal in June 2022 on the blue economy.
Kenyatta then spoke of the need for universal access to education and addressing food insecurity.
The Kenyan leader also hailed the growing ties between African and Caribbean nations following a recent summit, and said that such events can be used to fight for reform in the ‘global system’, particularly with regards to “unequal trade and investment patterns, outflows of illicit finance, inflows of small arms and light weapons, and the extraction versus production mentality.” Kenyatta said that these factors are exacerbating global inequality, fragility, conflict, and violence, and that the “tools” to deal with these concerns, such as the UNSC, are not effective. Kenya will assume the presidency of the UNSC in October.
Towards the end of his address, Kenyatta called for an end to “illegal sanctions” that “cause suffering and undermine human rights.”