Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Republic of the Congo advocated for a reform of the multilateral system that grants Africa a more prominent role. Conveying the message of President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Constant-Serge Bounda Minister of Foreign Affairs, La Francophonie, and Congolese Abroad also reaffirmed the country’s diplomatic and economic priorities.
Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Republic of the Congo advocated for reform of the UN Security Council. The Central African nation maintains that the current representation no longer reflects the global geopolitical balance. As a member of the African Union’s Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government, the country reiterated its support for granting Africa two permanent seats with veto power.
The world has changed; the world has evolved. Institutions must change along with it. It is an imperative. Africa is not asking for a favor; it is asking for its rightful place. The Republic of the Congo—as a member of the African Union’s Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on UN Security Council reform (the C10)—will not compromise on this shared demand.
Constant Serge Bounda, Minister of Foreign Affairs, La Francophonie, and Congolese Abroad
The Congolese foreign minister also reaffirmed Congo’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2030–2031 term. This ambition is grounded, he noted, in the country’s commitment to mediation and conflict resolution processes across Africa. On the economic front, Brazzaville called for an international response to the debt burden facing developing nations. The minister specifically advocated for mechanisms to provide debt relief—or even debt cancellation—in order to free up resources for the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Republic of the Congo’s development ambitions—like those of many African nations—are currently being hampered by the burden of debt, inequalities in the international financial system, and the consequences of climate change. With the deadline for the SDGs just four years away, we cannot afford another collective failure. The Republic of the Congo therefore calls for an ambitious international response to the issue of developing-country debt, including through relief mechanisms and—where circumstances warrant—debt cancellation, to free up resources for investments essential to achieving the SDGs.
Constant Serge Bounda, Minister of Foreign Affairs, La Francophonie, and Congolese Abroad
Another priority championed from this podium is the preservation of the Congo Basin. The country is calling for fairer compensation for the ecosystem services provided by its forests and for sustainable funding for their conservation. Through this address, Brazzaville reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism, dialogue between nations, and international cooperation that is more attentive to the challenges facing the African continent.
