Faith Nyasuguta
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sounded a grave warning over Africa’s escalating debt crisis, describing it as “unsustainable and a recipe for social unrest.”
Speaking at the China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing, Guterres called for sweeping reforms to an “outdated, ineffective, and unfair international financial system” that has left many African countries teetering on the brink of economic collapse.
Addressing a gathering of leaders from 50 African nations, Guterres emphasized the urgency of reforming global financial mechanisms to ensure developing countries have the “liquidity they need” to tackle a range of critical challenges, including climate change.
“Many African countries are mired in debt, struggling to invest in sustainable development, and lacking access to effective debt relief,” he stated. “They face scarce resources and insufficient concessional funding to meet the basic needs of their populations and protect them from a climate crisis they did nothing to create.”
The summit comes amid a worsening debt crisis across the continent, where spiraling costs of living and economic instability have sparked civil unrest in several nations, including Kenya. In some countries, mounting public anger has resulted in protests against government austerity measures and perceived foreign interference in national affairs. The situation, Guterres warned, poses a real threat to social stability and could lead to further conflicts if left unaddressed.
China, which has hosted the summit since its inception in 2000, has become Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner and a major economic player on the continent. Chinese companies have invested heavily in mining for crucial resources, while Chinese development banks have funded infrastructure projects such as railways and roads.
However, Africa’s trade deficit with China remains significant, with Beijing exporting far more to the continent than it imports. In a bid to address this imbalance, African leaders are looking to Beijing for support in expanding their agricultural exports and accelerating their industrialization efforts.
Guterres highlighted the potential of Chinese-African cooperation to drive development in key sectors, including energy, food security, and technology. He urged China and other international players to embrace a more equitable partnership that prioritizes Africa’s long-term development needs over short-term economic gains.
As the debt crisis deepens, the UN chief’s call for systemic change reflects growing concern that without immediate action, Africa’s economic challenges could trigger broader social unrest, undermining peace and stability across the continent. The world, he insisted, must act urgently to support Africa’s aspirations for a more just and sustainable future.
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