RismadarVoice Reporters, May 13, 2026
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has renewed calls for an end to what he described as the historical extraction and external exploitation of Africa’s natural resources, urging a shift toward greater continental ownership and benefit.
Speaking during a visit to the headquarters of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Guterres met with the Commission’s Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, as part of engagements linked to the 10th African Union–United Nations Annual Conference.
The discussions brought together senior officials from both institutions to address governance, development priorities, and sustainable management of natural resources across Africa.
Guterres criticised long-standing patterns in which African raw materials are extracted and processed elsewhere, arguing that such systems have allowed external actors to capture most of the value while leaving environmental and social costs within African states. He said the model must change in favour of fairness and local benefit.
According to him, Africa should no longer be positioned at the lower end of global value chains. Instead, he stressed that the continent’s populations must be the primary beneficiaries of its natural wealth, from minerals to energy resources.
The UN chief emphasised that resource governance reforms are essential for sustainable development, adding that stronger cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union could help promote equitable growth and improved accountability in resource management.
The meeting is expected to reinforce ongoing collaboration between the two organisations on issues including economic transformation, climate resilience, and institutional strengthening across African countries.
The annual AU–UN dialogue continues to serve as a platform for aligning global and regional strategies on peace, development, and sustainability.
