26 Sep 2025

Until Africa gets a permanent seat in the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the organisation will continue to come across as lacking a sense of true inclusivity.

In his inaugural address of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, President Advocate Duma Boko accused the UN of treating Africa indifferently and not being fully receptive of the continent’s voice.

“This United Nations cannot be truly international; it cannot be truly together, and will not be better until our continent, home to one fifth of the population of the world, is afforded an equal voice at the highest body of this organisation,” he said.

President Boko said it was time that the five permanent members of the Security Council; China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America delivered on their promise to agree on a permanent seat for Africa, the only continent to not have had one for the 80 years of the UN’s existence.

The President also reiterated the message of the theme of this year’s general assembly session; Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights, by calling on member states to recommit to multilateralism.

Such, he said would be in acknowledgement of the fact that no member could successfully weather the storms of today’s century alone.

“We are better together in combating pandemics; we are better together in adapting to climate change. We are better together in securing peace and better together in ensuring that human dignity is not a preserve of the few but the inheritance of all,” he said.

Concerning the Palestine-Israel conflict, President Boko appreciated countries that had given heightened attention and consideration to the situation, among them Britain, Australia, Canada and France.

Echoing a call for peaceful resolution of conflict, the President said the carnage in Gaza ought to prick the collective conscience of all.

“We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their pursuit of a home and of dignity. We urge all parties to stop the war and seek a peaceful resolution,” he said and also affirmed Botswana’ support for the sovereignty of Ukraine, a country similarly embroiled in conflict with its neighbour, Russia.

Regarding the devastating effects of climate change, President Boko highlighted the importance of building resilience in communities and of putting adaptation at the centre of sustainable development.

He thus called on the UN general assembly to scale up financing for climate adaptation in order to enable countries to invest in water infrastructure, in early warning systems as well as in climate-smart agriculture.

Referencing the shortage of essential medicines that Botswana experienced in recent months, the President said the situation had not only exposed the vulnerabilities of the country’s supply chains but had shined a light on the wider inequities of the global health system.

“We call upon the UN, international financial institutions and the private sector to work with us to build resilient health systems. Together let us explore local production, regional supply hubs and fairer mechanisms to ensure that no nation is left to face health emergencies alone,” he noted.

On Botswana’ position on human rights, President Boko reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to advancing equality, including the protection of indigenous peoples, and of women and children. ENDS