Ruto’s provocative but timely maiden UN General Assembly speech was spot on

President William Ruto’s inaugural address to the 77^th Session of the UN General Assembly was bold, unapologetic and crystal clear. It focused on major issues bedevilling countries in the Global South and how the problems are directly related to the state of multilateral relations between rich nations in the Global North and poor countries in the South.

Importantly, the speech drew particular attention to climate change at a time when much of the world has experienced the worst ramifications of its negative impact. These have included heat waves in much of Western Europe over the June to August 2022 period, mega-droughts in the US south-west and mountain west, leading to almost uncontrollable forest fires, heatwaves and dangerously low levels of moisture and fresh water across numerous states and neighbouring countries including Canada and Mexico.

Most recently, the world watched in horror as the worst level of flooding ever witnessed in the country put large swathes of Pakistan under water, following unusually heavy monsoon rains and extra water from melting glaciers. Floodwaters washed away vehicles, houses, livestock and numerous man-made structures along their deadly path.  The disaster is reported to have resulted in the death of more than 1500 people while 15 percent of the population of 220 million were directly affected. The total damage was estimated at US$40 billion.

For these reasons and more, President Ruto could not have been clearer when he stated in his address: “The health of the planet requires urgent attention.” He drew global attention to inequalities that were exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, pointing out: “In many respects, the Covid-19 pandemic stripped us of many illusions and exposed stark justice and solidarity deficits in the face of an existential crisis. It brought into sharp focus the global economy’s two-lane highway, repressively patrolled by a rising tide of exclusionist nationalism.”

The President’s sentiments reflect a level of frustration experienced by poor countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, regarding promises made time again by rich countries to avail resources to help populations in poor countries to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.

At the usually well-attended Conferences of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, popularly known as COPs, there has always been consensus that rich countries in Western Europe and North America achieved their wealth and development on the back of natural and human resources from poor countries in the South. The developed countries are also responsible for the most emission of green house gases that led to global warming that is the genesis of climate change. It may not be surprising that these promises will be repeated at the upcoming COP 27, which is scheduled to be held in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt between 7^th and 18^th November, 2022. President Ruto, while not specifically referring to this skewed relationship, was spot on when he reminded his audience:

“Severe drought has affected not only the Horn of Africa and the Sahel regions but continues to devastate many others, including in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. If for no other reason, the fact that we are in this together must strengthen the case for concerted efforts across the continents. With this in mind, I call on the member states and all relevant stakeholders to demonstrate strong political will and showcase effective cooperation by supporting the most affected countries financially, as well as through sharing land restoration and climate adaptation technologies. It is through collaborations to expand inclusion that we can attain a new paradigm in multilateralism.”

Although President Ruto touched on a few other issues that need joint action at the global level, he hammered home the duplicity with which the issue has been handled. He alluded to the fact that unequal representation at the UN’s main decision-making body, the Security Council, is at the core of the injustices being witnessed in handling of global mega-crises that include climate change and pandemics such as Covid-19. The words below marked his intention to drive that point home.

“It will be recalled that during the Stockholm+50 meeting, which Kenya had the honour of co-hosting with Sweden, there was consensus from States on the need to act urgently in addressing environmental impacts. Given this agreement, it is deeply concerning that little progress has been made in respect of the needful actions.

“It is time to collectively contemplate urgent measures needed to implement high-priority actions required to contain ongoing disruptions, as we deliberate on long-term implementation approaches to be undertaken. I fully agree with the Secretary-General’s memorable statement, that ‘we have a rendezvous with a climate disaster’. I add that we must not be taken by surprise. If indeed forewarned is forearmed, this is our opportunity to mobilise with tremendous urgency and take action at once.”

This level of candour from an African leader at such a high-level global forum is refreshing. UN agencies have over the decades become notorious for seeming obsessiveness to “tone down language” so much so that delegates to the COP meetings have been known to spend sleepless nights to fulfil demands of governments that are reluctant to make binding commitments to pledges they make at these meetings. It might be about time that things are said as they are without the use of sugar coated language. This could be what has been missing and the genesis of lofty promises that rich countries make to poor ones when they have no intention of keeping them. From the boldness with which President Ruto made his address, many in Africa and other poor regions would agree that he was at the right place at the right time, less than one week after he took over the Kenya Presidency.