Malawi Minister Demands UN Reform for Global South
George Chaponda urged the United Nations to transform into an engine of delivery for the Global South during the 81st UN General Assembly.
Malawi's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, George Chaponda, called for a fundamental transformation of the United Nations during the 81st UN General Assembly General Debate in New York. Chaponda urged the organization to move from being a "forum of speeches" to an "engine of delivery" for the Global South, warning that trust in multilateralism is collapsing.
His demands focused on economic and climate stability, including comprehensive debt relief, expanded concessional financing for agriculture and infrastructure, and the full capitalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. Chaponda also advocated for a legally binding global Pandemic Treaty and the expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing within Africa.
Regarding global governance, Chaponda pushed for a structural overhaul of the UN Security Council to grant permanent African representation with veto rights. He further called for ethical governance of artificial intelligence and the cessation of active conflicts to redirect military spending toward sustainable development and poverty reduction.
