Guterres Tells Africa Forward Summit: Continent Must Have Greater Voice in Global Institutions

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told leaders gathered in Nairobi that Africa continues to advance and demands investment at scale, justice in global systems, and partnerships grounded in respect. Guterres delivered the remarks on 12 May 2026 at the opening of the Africa Forward Summit, which was co-hosted in Nairobi by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.

"The name of this Summit captures the moment - and the mission," he said.

Africa is driving the debate around reforming global financial institutions designed in 1945. The continent played a leading role in getting the Pact for the Future approved, building new tools for debt negotiations, and challenging credit ratings systems. African leadership helped secure the Sevilla Commitment on expanding lending by multilateral development banks.

Africa, alongside small island States, put the climate emergency at the centre of the global agenda. "This is not a continent waiting for solutions. This is a continent producing them," Guterres said.

Yet he pointed to structural obstacles that remain. Africa has no permanent seats on the UN Security Council. 5 billion people but holds limited decision-making power within international financial institutions.

"It is the world that loses by the fact that the voice of Africa is not taken into account," Guterres said. Official development assistance is falling and aid budgets are being cut when needs are at their highest. Guterres described falling ODA as not only a financing crisis but a crisis of solidarity.