President William Ruto. Photo/Courtesy
By Daisy Okiring
President William Ruto has renewed calls for Africa to be granted two permanent and two non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), urging for full representation with equal rights and privileges.
Speaking in Doha, Qatar, during the Second World Summit for Social Development, Ruto emphasized that genuine global progress cannot occur without fairness in representation. Delivering his statement on behalf of the African Group of States, the President said the move would ensure that the voices of the world’s poor and marginalized — particularly those from Africa — are heard at the highest decision-making levels.
“True social development cannot thrive without historical justice and equal representation,” President Ruto declared, as leaders from across the world, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, listened.
The call comes as the African Union declared 2025 the Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations. Ruto described this declaration as a vital step toward accountability and healing, acknowledging the lasting harm caused by slavery, colonization, apartheid, and systemic exploitation.
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Addressing Africa’s Development Challenges
Reflecting on the progress made since the first social development summit in Copenhagen 30 years ago, President Ruto lamented that many of the challenges highlighted then — such as poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion — still persist today.
“Across many sub-regions in Africa and Western Asia, hunger is rising, growth is slowing down, and vulnerability is deepening. Health and education systems are under strain, and energy deficits continue to hold back opportunity,” Ruto observed.
He explained that Africa’s development priorities lie in transforming informal sectors, building productive capacity, and widening access to global markets. Achieving these goals, he added, would require stronger international cooperation, guided by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Right to Development.
Ruto stressed that Africa must not be seen merely as a beneficiary of global assistance but as a key partner in crafting sustainable solutions. He called on global financial institutions and development partners to align their efforts with Africa’s long-term aspirations for industrial growth and self-reliance.
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Push for Reform in Global Finance and Governance
The Kenyan leader also called for an overhaul of the international financial system to make it more equitable and responsive to the realities of developing nations. “We urge decisive action on debt distress and progress toward the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation,” Ruto said. He further proposed a UN Convention on Sovereign Debt to help developing countries manage financial crises more effectively.
Ruto’s message in Doha echoed his consistent advocacy for fairer global governance structures, a cause he has championed in multiple international forums. He underscored that global institutions must evolve to reflect the modern world — not the post-war realities of 1945.
At the same event, President Ruto presented Kenya’s national statement, highlighting ongoing efforts to tackle inequality, unemployment, and poverty through his administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
He emphasized that Kenya’s domestic development agenda aligns with Africa’s broader push for social and economic justice, reinforcing the continent’s readiness to lead on global reform.
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