The climate emergency and commitments to developing countries are at the heart of current concerns. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an urgent appeal to rich nations to honour their promises to help poorer countries combat climate change. In a speech to the Parliament of Lesotho, Guterres also called for permanent representation of Africa on the UN Security Council.
His visit to Southern Africa highlights the financial challenges faced by the least developed countries, particularly in Africa. While Africa contributes minimally to global warming, it is among the continents most affected by its devastating effects.
The agreement reached at the recent climate negotiations to mobilise at least $300 billion per year to help developing countries cope with global warming falls far short of the expectations of countries demanding a much larger package.
Guterres stressed the absolute need for developed countries to meet their financial commitments and deliver the $300 billion promised annually for climate finance. He highlighted the particular vulnerability of landlocked and least developed countries like Lesotho.
The Loss and Damage Fund, designed to compensate poor countries for natural disasters caused by climate change, must be implemented quickly and funded generously by the countries most responsible for climate destruction.
Southern Africa is facing one of its worst droughts on record, causing a hunger crisis affecting more than 27 million people according to the UN. Lesotho is among the countries that have declared a state of national disaster due to the devastating impact of the drought on crops.
The crisis, largely attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon, is also associated with events such as deadly cholera outbreaks and flooding in the East African region, all linked to climate change.
A report this year from the World Meteorological Organization found that African nations are losing up to 5% of their GDP each year and are bearing a greater burden than others due to climate change.
Guterres expressed hope for at least two permanent members from Africa on the Security Council by the end of his term in December 2026, acknowledging the difficulty of doing so. He lamented the fact that an Africa of more than 1.4 billion people remains systematically excluded from global decision-making.
During his visit to Lesotho, Guterres is also scheduled to visit the Katse Dam, a key component of the Lesotho Highlands Project. This project aims to build a series of dams and tunnels to redirect some of Lesotho’s water into South Africa’s river system to help alleviate water shortages in its neighbour.
This visit underlines the need for urgent and concerted action to address climate challenges and to combat global inequalities, ensuring that developing countries’ voices are fairly represented on the international stage.