UNGA: DRC president seeks actualisation of promises on global warming to Africa

The President of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has urged UN  Member States to “materialise all the promises made to Africa in compensation for the sacrifices agreed to protect humanity against global warming.”

Tshilombo made the appeal at the annual gathering of world leaders for the UN General Debate of the 76th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

“There are less than six weeks left before COP26 and nine years before 2030.

“For Africa, the year 2030 will be marked by a drop in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of up to 15 per cent reduction in agricultural yields and a sharp increase in the risk of coastal flooding and in island countries,” the president said.

He noted that in order to cope with the negative impacts of climate change, the African continent will need $30 billion dollars a year to adapt.

This amount should increase to around $50 billion dollars by 2040.

“Africa does not need charity,” but constructive win-win partnerships to make better use of its collective national wealth and improve the living conditions of its people, he stressed.

Speaking on the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said Africa had not folded its arms and does not intend to capitulate to the virus, but stressed all the difficulties the countries are facing.

He welcomed initiatives related to financing of the economies, in particular those of the G20 on the suspension of debt service and the common framework for debt restructuring, pointing at the allocation of $650 billion in special drawing rights (SDRs) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

For him, the $33 billion dollars allocated to Africa “are insufficient in view of the immensity of its economic stimulus needs.” The African Union supports the objective of the Paris Summit, $100 billion dollars in SDR for the continent.

Regarding the withdrawal of the UN Mission (MONUSCO) in his country, he agreed to the timeline approved by the UN Security Council, with a transition period that expires in 2024.

He asked for the process to be “gradual, responsible and orderly”, saying that he expects “the United Nations and the Security Council to give all the necessary means to MONUSCO and its Rapid Intervention Brigade so that they fulfil their mandates.”

“This is to ensure that the troops deployed have the required capabilities and means, including the necessary training to meet the requirements of the reality on the ground and the asymmetric warfare currently waged by armed groups and Islamist terrorists,” Tshilombo said.

Read also: UNGA: World’s 2 largest economies commit to climate action – Guterres

On the elections scheduled for 2023, he said, he hoped to contribute to “the organisation of a free, transparent, inclusive and credible” vote.

Speaking on peace and security, the President said: “the scourge of insecurity caused by the cohorts of terrorists, armed groups, mercenaries and criminals of all stripes is undermining the institutional stability of young democracies and destroying the efforts of many African leaders to develop their countries.”

He argued that the fight against DAESH was won in the Middle East, but in Africa “AQIM and other groups affiliated with DAESH are gaining more ground every day”, in places like Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Burkina Faso.

He said that “Islamist” fundamentalism had reached the east of his country, which is “paying a heavy price in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Maniema.”

“Africa refuses to serve as a base for international terrorism”, he added.

Recently, political crises had erupted in a few Member States, but Tshilombo argued that “these crises cannot obscure the enormous progress made by the majority of African countries in terms of democracy and good governance.

“This is how the Congolese people continue their noble and exhilarating struggle against dictatorship, autocracy and the values ​​that still structure our actions,” he said.

In June, the DRC entered into a programme with the IMF and is currently benefitting from the assistance of the World Bank to carry out major social projects and basic infrastructure.

Tshilombo spoke of “courageous reforms” that should accelerate economic growth to over five per cent a year.

He concluded his speech by addressing the “endless problematic reform of the UN and of the representation of Africa on its Security Council.

“It is a question of the effectiveness of the United Nations and of justice to a continent, an entire section of humanity whose role continues to increase every day,” he said.

The UN correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Tshilombo as saying that his country supported the proposal that adds two additional non-permanent members for Africa and two seats as permanent members, with the same rights, including veto. (NAN)