Africa has once again renewed its demand for two permanent and two non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, emphasizing the need for fair representation and stronger inclusion of the continent’s voice in global decision-making.
Speaking on behalf of the African Group of States at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, President William Ruto said this reform is vital to ensuring that the perspectives of millions living in poverty across Africa are adequately represented in international institutions.
“True social development cannot thrive without historical justice and equal representation,” Ruto stated.
He noted that with the African Union declaring 2025 the Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations, the continent is taking a defining step toward justice and healing. This, he said, requires accountability for the lasting human and environmental damage caused by slavery, colonization, Apartheid, and exploitation.
Global Leaders Convene in Doha
The summit, attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and several world leaders, marks 30 years since the first Social Development Summit in Copenhagen. While global circumstances have evolved, Ruto observed that poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion continue to challenge societies worldwide.
“In many parts of Africa and Western Asia, hunger is rising, growth is slowing, and vulnerability is deepening. Health and education systems are strained, while energy deficits continue to limit opportunity,” he said.
Africa’s Development Priorities
President Ruto outlined Africa’s priorities as transforming the informal sector, building productive capacity, and widening access to global markets. He stressed the need for stronger international cooperation in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Right to Development.
He also called for comprehensive reform of the global financial system, saying it must be fair, transparent, and responsive to the realities of developing nations.
“We urge decisive action on debt distress and progress toward a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. We also reiterate our call for a UN Convention on Sovereign Debt,” he said.
Kenya’s Commitment to Social Development
In Kenya’s national statement, Ruto highlighted the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) as a cornerstone of the country’s fight against poverty, inequality, and social exclusion.
On education, he said Kenya has completed the transition to the Competence-Based Education and Training system, hired 76,000 new teachers (with a target of 100,000 by 2026), and introduced a student-centered funding model to ensure equitable access to quality higher education.
The government has also expanded Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to equip young people with marketable skills.
To boost financial inclusion, Ruto said the Hustler Fund has disbursed KSh 80 billion ($615 million) to 26.7 million Kenyans, while the soon-to-be-launched National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme will support one million youth entrepreneurs with training, start-up capital, and access to government procurement.
Inclusive Growth and Social Safety Nets
President Ruto also noted progress under the Inua Jamii safety net programme, which now supports 1.7 million vulnerable families, and the Affordable Housing Programme, with 230,000 units under construction, employing over 320,000 people.
Through labour mobility partnerships, more than 400,000 Kenyans have found employment abroad, contributing significantly through remittances.
In healthcare, Kenya’s reforms have expanded medical insurance coverage from 8 million in 2023 to 27.2 million citizens, ensuring universal access to care regardless of financial status.
A Call for Global Solidarity
President Ruto concluded by urging nations to reject isolationism and embrace collective global action to dismantle the entrenched structures that perpetuate inequality.
“It is incumbent upon us to stand together and confront the entrenched systems that drive global exclusion,” he said, warning that the world risks “retreating into isolation at a time when cooperation should be our priority.”
