President Ramaphosa calls for action on climate change, raises concern on 'weaponised trade' during UN address

Climate change, the debt crisis facing developing countries and the need for global equity were among the issues that President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke about when he addressed the General Debate at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

He said South Africa’s presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) marks the first time that the forum will convene a summit on the African continent — “the cradle of humanity” — with a focus on disaster resilience, debt sustainability for low-income countries, energy-transition financing and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

He warned that climate change continues to severely impact countries in the Global South. “Although Africa carries the least responsibility for climate change, many countries on the continent experience much of its harshest effects,” he said.

“Extreme weather events, like floods and droughts, are driving food insecurity, displacing populations, damaging infrastructure and destroying livelihoods.”

He also raised the debt crisis facing many developing countries. “Many countries with developing economies, especially in Africa and the Global South, do not have adequate capital to finance their development goals,” he said.

“They are indebted and are paying much more on debt servicing than they do on health and education.” Ramaphosa urged fairer lending rules and reforms to global financial institutions to support low-income economies.

The president reaffirmed South Africa’s call for reforms to the multilateral trading system, warning that trade is increasingly being used as a geopolitical weapon.

“Trade is now being used as a weapon against a number of countries in the world,” he said.

He called for the lifting of the United States’ decades-long embargo on Cuba, saying: “This unfair embargo must be lifted – and we want it lifted sooner rather than later.”

Ramaphosa strongly criticised the weakening of multilateral institutions and the growing disregard for international law.

“We are fighting wars that cause death and destruction when we should be fighting poverty and developing the livelihoods of vulnerable people,” he said.

He condemned the failure of the United Nations Security Council to respond effectively to worsening crises in places such as Gaza, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“The United Nations Security Council has proven to be ineffective in its current form and composition in carrying out its Charter mandate to maintain international peace and security,” he said.

On the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ramaphosa delivered a firm statement of condemnation. “There is growing global consensus that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza,” he said.

“Just last week, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry found that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza.”

He added, “South Africa has acted in the interest of saving lives by insisting that the International Court of Justice should make a ruling that, indeed, genocide is being committed in Gaza and that it should stop. And we stand here to say: it must stop.”

He welcomed global efforts to recognise the State of Palestine, saying this reflects “the determination of the global majority” to see a peaceful Palestine existing side by side with Israel.

“The long-overdue announcement by an increasing number of countries to recognise the State of Palestine is testament to this determination,” he said.

Ramaphosa also reiterated South Africa’s support for the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara and renewed calls for global nuclear disarmament.

He also spoke on the lack of representation of Africa and the Global South on the United Nations Security Council.

“We can no longer accept that a large portion of the world’s population is not represented in the United Nations Security Council,” he said. “My own continent, Africa, home to 1.4 billion people, as well as South America, are not represented.  This is unjust. This is unacceptable. And it must end.”