PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa believes that the United Nations can still bring peace to the world, despite the many challenges the organisation faces.
Ramaphosa is in New York, United States, attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
He's expected to address the General Debate on Tuesday, 23 September.
Ramaphosa said, as chair of the G20 in 2025, Mzansi will be advancing a strong message of multilateralism, human rights for all, sustainable development and peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world.
"The message South Africa takes to this year's General Assembly is that if the organisation is to remain relevant and if the global, rules-based system is to endure, the UN must demonstrate in both word and deed that multilateralism is alive. Despite its many challenges, the UN remains humanity's best chance at peace, security and sustainable development for all."
Ramaphosa said the meeting is taking place at a time when the global rules-based system is profoundly fragile.
He pointed out that according to the UN's own data, the number of global conflicts is at its highest levels since the end of the Second World War.
Ramaphosa said nearly half of the world's 1,1 billion population who live in poverty are in countries wracked by violent conflict.
"Global health and pandemic response and preparedness is under serious threat following the withdrawal of global health financing and aid."
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He said that although 2024 was the warmest year on record, the global climate response is faltering.
He warned that current climate action and country ambitions are failing to prevent global warming.
"As the UN General Assembly convenes this week under the theme Accelerating Global Progress Through Intergenerational Collaboration, the stakes have never been higher.
"The UN is struggling to meet its mandate as contained in the UN Charter. It continues to be hampered by competing national interests that impede collective action. There is a lack of political will among member states to address many challenges, including the chronic underfunding of peacekeeping operations," Ramaphosa said.
He observed that by far, the most serious hindrance to the UN fulfilling its mandate is the structure and operation of the UN Security Council.
He noted that despite changes in global power relations over the past half-century, the decision-making structure giving veto powers to the five permanent members has remained unchanged since the end of the Second World War.
"These five permanent members effectively make decisions on behalf of more than 85% of the world's population living in countries of the Global South. They continue to use their veto powers to effectively paralyse collective action and prevent timely responses to crises, even in the face of clear violations of international law."
Ramaphosa highlighted that Mzansi has been consistent in its calls for UN Security Council reform and for it to better reflect global realities.
He stressed that if a rules-based system is to have practical meaning, the UN must actively enforce international law and human rights standards for all, and not just the select few.
