South African president calls on wealthy nations to meet financial pledges on climate

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) — South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday called on wealthy countries to meet climate financial commitments they made for developing countries to take action on global warming.

"It is a great concern that these wealthier countries have failed to meet their undertakings to mobilize $100 billion a year for developing economies to take climate action," Ramaphosa said in his address at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

Ramaphosa said Africa is warming "faster than the rest of the world," with 17 of the 20 climate hotspots around the globe found in Africa.

"Centuries after the end of the slave trade, decades after the end of the colonial exploitation of Africa's resources, the people of our continent are once again bearing the cost of the industrialization and development of the wealthy nations of the world," said the South African leader.

- Africa no longer prepared to pay price

Ramaphosa said Africans were no longer prepared to pay the additional price because of high carbon emissions in the world.

"We urge global leaders to accelerate global decarbonization while pursuing equality and shared prosperity," he said.

Underlining that the world needs to advance all three 2016 Paris Agreement pillars of mitigation, adaptation, and support with equal ambition and urgency, Ramaphosa said:

"African countries, alongside other developing economy countries, need increased financial support to both implement the 2030 Agenda and achieve their climate change goals in a comprehensive and integrated manner."

He also called for the reform of global institutions, including the UN Security Council to better promote equality among nations and effective action in response to "current geopolitical realities."

"This is the moment to proceed with the reform of the United Nations Security Council, to give meaning to the principle of the sovereign equality of nations and to enable the council to respond more effectively to current geopolitical realities," he said.

Ramaphosa highlighted the need for "institutions that are inclusive, representative, and democratic and advance the interests of all nations."

"We require a renewed commitment to multilateralism, based on clear rules and supported by effective institutions," he said.