Africa and Europe can shape a fairer global system

But António Guterres warns this shift will not guarantee stability. 

“Multipolarity alone is no guarantee of peace,” he said. Without strong cooperation, it can fuel rivalry rather than balance. 

Speaking at a summit between the African Union (AU) – the continent’s political and economic union – and the European Union (EU), the bloc of 27 European states, he argued that the two regions could form a “central axis” of a fairer global order.  

He said this could correct “historic injustices” and give countries long excluded from global decision-making a real voice. 

He outlined three areas where cooperation can drive change.

1. Fix the global financial system 

Guterres said today’s financial rules are “unfair and ineffective”. Many African countries remain trapped in debt repayments that leave little space for investment. 

He called for ending unsustainable debt, tripling the lending power of multilateral development banks and giving developing nations greater influence over global finance. 

“Together, you can end the injustice of poverty,” he told leaders. He added that by working together, the regions can also address pressures behind irregular migration and displacement.

2. Turn climate potential into climate opportunity 

Africa has huge solar and wind potential and many of the minerals needed for clean-energy technologies. Demand for these minerals will triple by 2030. 

Mr. Guterres said this creates a chance to move beyond exporting raw materials and instead build processing and manufacturing industries at home. 

“Africa has the resources and a young workforce. Europe has the capital and know-how,” he said. A genuine clean-energy partnership, he argued, could deliver shared, long-term growth. 

3. Reform the global peace and security system 

Mr. Guterres pointed to the Pact for the Future, agreed last year, as a guide for peace and security reform. 

It calls for permanent African seats on the UN Security Council – a step he said would correct “a deep historic injustice” and improve the Council’s ability to respond to crises. 

Why it matters 

Guterres warned that global power is in flux. He said that against the risk of division, the world needs an interconnected multipolarity. 

Reforming global finance, accelerating climate action and reshaping peace and security structures, including addressing Africa’s exclusion from the Security Council, are central to creating what he called “a fairer, more equal system”. 

He stressed that Africa and Europe have the capacity to drive these changes together and help transform today’s turbulence into what he described as “a new era of hope”.