Published on : 02/05/2022 – 02:58
The Secretary General of the United Nations began his tour of West Africa in Senegal on Sunday May 1. After an internal meeting, he visited the United Nations city under construction regarding thirty kilometers from Dakar, where he is also passed through the vaccine manufacturing plant of the Pasteur Institute. He closed the day with a statement with President Macky Sall, who is also the current Chairman of the African Union.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Thea Olivier
The security situation in Africa and the Sahel was the first subject of common interest addressed by Macky Sall, who noted the resurgence of coups in the region, referring without naming them to Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Antonio Guterres for his part replied that they had agreed to ” the importance of continuing the dialogue with the de facto authorities [des trois pays] in order to establish the return to constitutional order as soon as possible ».
He also recalled his attachment to robust African peace and counter-terrorism operations implemented by the African Union and supported by the United Nations ».
Antonio Guterres on Sahel issues
« Triple crise »
In a context of international crisis, the war in Ukraine was obviously one of the subjects of discussion. For his part, Macky Sall listed the negative consequences in Africa: “ We have tensions over the supply of petroleum products, there is an inflationary surge and above all there are threats of famine, because the fertilizers also come from the same region without having access to the fertilizers. Obviously, the harvests will be bad harvests, which will lead to situations of famine. »
Antonio Guterres worried that the war “ aggravates a triple crisis: food, energy and financial ” in Africa. “ We must ensure a steady flow of food and energy into open markets by lifting all unnecessary export restrictions and controlling food prices. »
Antonio Guterres then assured that a flow of food and energy must be guaranteed by lifting all unnecessary export restrictions. The UN boss also urged international financial institutions to ” implement […] debt relief measures », « so governments can avoid default and invest in social safety nets and sustainable development for their people “. The UN Secretary-General calls once more for a reform of the global financial system that ” is morally bankrupt ” according to him.
The climate emergency and the energy transition were also addressed as African countries are ” often the first victims “of a global warming of which they are not ” not responsible recalled Antonio Guterres.
It was the first visit by a UN secretary-general since 2008.
