The United Nations meeting held on February 16, 2025, featured a significant address by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, focusing on Africa's potential and the challenges it faces. Guterres expressed gratitude to African leaders, particularly President Mohammed Ugold Ghazwani and African Union Chairperson Musa Faki, for their commitment to multilateralism and cooperation with the UN.

Guterres highlighted Africa's booming population, noting it has the largest number of young people globally. He emphasized the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area in boosting the region's economy. However, he also acknowledged the growing calls to address the historical injustices of colonialism and slavery, which continue to impact African nations today. He stressed the need for a reparatory justice framework and pointed out the lack of permanent representation for Africa in the UN Security Council as a persistent injustice.

The Secretary-General outlined four key areas for action. First, he called for urgent efforts to address peace and security issues, particularly in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where violence and humanitarian crises are escalating. He urged for immediate ceasefires and regional dialogue to resolve conflicts.

Second, Guterres emphasized the importance of advancing the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in addressing the financial challenges faced by African countries. He noted that African nations often pay significantly higher borrowing costs compared to developed countries and called for reforms in the international financial architecture to ensure fair representation and effective debt relief.

The third area of focus was the climate crisis, which disproportionately affects Africa despite the continent contributing minimally to global emissions. Guterres called for increased investment in climate adaptation and urged developed nations to fulfill their financial commitments to support African countries in addressing climate-related challenges.

Lastly, he addressed the need for justice regarding Africa's critical minerals, advocating for fair practices that ensure African resources benefit its people rather than being exploited by external entities.

In conclusion, Guterres reaffirmed the UN's commitment to working alongside the African Union to promote security, stability, and sustainable development across the continent, emphasizing that addressing historical injustices is essential for Africa's future progress.