Ruto calls for bold reforms at UN Security Council

President William Ruto has urged the United Nations Security Council to adopt bold reforms in response to the growing global challenges.

Speaking at the United Nations' Summit of the Future plenary session in New York, he said the current multilateral system is failing to effectively address issues like climate change, inequality and debt crises.

Ruto called for urgent reforms, warning that humanity faces an unprecedented global crisis unless swift action is taken.

“Today, we have no choice but to reject outdated systems and re-imagine a framework of international cooperation that works for all 8 billion people,” Ruto said.

He outlined key areas requiring reform, including the international financial system, partnerships for common security, digital inclusion and human capacity development. President Ruto noted that only 17 per cent of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track, largely due to unmet financial commitments.

“Developing countries, particularly in Africa and the Global South, are facing severe funding shortages, and the gap is widening,” he said.

Africa's representation

The Head of State called for addressing the historical injustice of Africa’s exclusion from permanent representation on the UN Security Council, stating that this issue should be treated as a matter of justice within ongoing UN reforms.

He also highlighted the progress made by the Kenya-led Multinational Support Mission in Haiti, noting that, despite resource limitations, the mission has achieved significant results.

“What looked like mission impossible is now a present and real possibility for peace in Haiti,” he told the assembly.

Turning to Kenya’s climate action efforts, Ruto said the country aims to increase its forest cover to 30 per cent by 2030 through the planting of 15 billion trees. He added that the initiative is being driven largely by the youth.

“Two weeks ago, I launched ClimateWorX, a programme that will employ 200,000 young Kenyans in sustainable public works, focused on ecological restoration and infrastructure,” he said.

Earlier, during the summit’s interactive dialogue session, Ruto addressed the structural and monetary challenges plaguing multilateral financial institutions, which disproportionately affect developing countries.

The challenges, he said, include limited fiscal capacity, rising debt, unfair credit ratings and uneven interest rates that hinder the achievement of the SDGs.

“The fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Spain next year might be our last chance to make significant reforms to meet the SDGs,” Ruto said.