UN chief calls for accelerating investments into Africa

The Secretary-General made the remarks while addressing the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly via video link as African leaders met physically for the first time since the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals depends on supporting massive investments in strong health and education systems, in job-creation, especially in the green and care sectors, and in universal social protection, gender equality, and opportunities for young people," Guterres told African leaders.

The two-day AU Assembly summit, slated from February 5 to 6 at the headquarters of the AU in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, is being held under the theme of the year "Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development."

"We need to accelerate investment into Africa," he said, adding that "we need to deliver real investment resources, including by redirecting Special Drawing Rights to countries that need support now, reforming the international debt architecture for the future, increasing concessional forms of finance, and ensuring that African countries with sound economic fundamentals are not unduly penalized by markets and rating institutions."

He further called for the need to fuel the immense promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

Issues such as rebuilding Africa from the brunt of the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring continental peace and security, socio-economic development, as well as representation of Africa in multilateral international institutions took center stage at the AU Assembly Summit. (ANI/Xinhua)