Ruto Criticizes UN Security Council and Calls for Development

President William Ruto delivered a powerful speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on yeserday, where he strongly criticized the United Nations Security Council for its perceived ineffectiveness and lack of democratic principles.

President Ruto began his address by highlighting the pressing need for fundamental reform of the Security Council, emphasizing inclusivity and proactivity to prevent conflicts and rapidly resolve international crises.

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“Moments like now place the nature and purpose of multilateralism under sharp scrutiny for history’s honest examination and judgment,” President Ruto said.

“If any confirmation was ever needed that the United Nations Security Council is dysfunctional, undemocratic, non-inclusive and unrepresentative and therefore incapable of delivering meaningful progress in our world as presently constituted, the rampant impunity of certain actors on the global scene settles that matter.” He added.

Ruto expressed deep concern about the Council’s inability to fulfill its core mandate, particularly in preventing conflicts and maintaining global peace.

He went on to say, “The failure of peace and security systems, inadequate development, and limited climate action, amidst technological advancement and enormous wealth, has left us in a state of paralysis, enduring one of the darkest periods of human existence.”

President Ruto urged the international community to engage in a constructive dialogue aimed at revitalizing the United Nations, emphasizing that Africa’s demand for equitable representation on the global stage should not be ignored.

“We do not think our continent is going to be developed using charity or handouts or alms or tokens,” President Ruto asserted. “We have talked in our continent about potential.”

He stressed that Africa possesses abundant renewable energy sources, critical minerals, uncultivated arable land, and a youthful population. “The assets Africa has must count for something,” he emphasized, calling for a shift towards transforming Africa’s potential into investments and opportunities.

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Additionally, President Ruto addressed the challenges Africa faces in accessing financial resources for development, citing that the continent pays almost eight times more in the financial market due to unfair ratings and risk analysis.

“These rating agencies assign very high risk to our continent,” Ruto noted. “What we end up doing is that we pay interest more than others. And that is the reason today, out of the 10 countries in debt distress, six are from Africa.”

He called for reforms in the financial market’s rating agencies and risk analysis framework to ensure fair treatment for African nations.