Updated · General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate · Sep 24
Ruto Urges UN Reform for Africa's 54 States as Developing Nations Pay $1 Trillion Interest
Updated
Updated · General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate · Sep 24
Ruto Urges UN Reform for Africa's 54 States as Developing Nations Pay $1 Trillion Interest
3 articles · Updated · General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate · Sep 24
Summary
At the UN General Assembly, William Ruto said Africa remains "permanently excluded" from permanent Security Council membership despite accounting for 54 member states and about one-fifth of humanity.
Ruto tied that political imbalance to finance, saying developing countries held less than a third of the world's $102 trillion public debt in 2024 yet paid about $1 trillion in interest.
He argued the system overprices African risk, citing a UNDP estimate that subjective credit ratings have cost African countries $75 billion and left developing nations borrowing at rates two to four times higher than rich countries.
Kenya cast Africa's case as an economic proposition rather than a plea, pointing to the continent's minerals, renewable energy and youth, and to a planned $16 billion Lamu refinery designed to produce 700,000 barrels a day.
Ruto's broader message was that Security Council and financial-system reform are inseparable tests of whether multilateral institutions still reflect sovereign equality rather than post-1945 power structures.