Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr Philemon Yang,
Interactive multi-stakeholder dialogue on New Partnerships for Africa’s Development
3 pm, 21 July 2025, Conference Room 2
[As Delivered by Vice President on behalf of the PGA]
Your Excellency Mr Seedy Keita, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome all participants to this Interactive Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on New Partnership for Africa’s Development.
I am honoured to convene it as one of my signature events during this session of the General Assembly.
Excellencies,
Africa is a vast and populous continent, rich in natural endowments and talent.
Yet much of that potential remains unrealised.
It should concern us all that many African countries continue to rank at the bottom of the Sustainable Development Goals Index.
This meeting comes at a crucial moment.
The Secretary-General’s latest report on Africa’s development highlights two clusters of commitment we must now prioritise:
- First, governance and human capital;
- And second, science, technology, and innovation.
These are the foundations of meaningful progress, rooted in the capacities of the African people.
It is African talent that must lead the drive for scientific and technological innovation.
And it is Africa’s youth—especially entrepreneurs and start-ups—who must drive digital growth and help shape the direction of the global digital economy.
Governments, in turn, must create environments where innovation can take root and thrive.
Excellencies,
We live in a digital age.
New and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, offer powerful tools to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Yet the digital divide in Africa remains wide.
As of 2024, 62 percent of Africans are still offline, compared to a global average of 32 percent.
This gap is a major obstacle to effective governance, industrial development, and social inclusion.
It weighs most heavily on rural communities and women, reinforcing existing inequalities.
Africa must now embrace the opportunities of the digital economy with confidence and care – especially as a growing youth population stands ready to embrace a more prosperous future.
Digital tools can improve digital literacy, expand human capital, and unlock the benefits of digital public goods to drive growth and innovation.
They can also help reduce the loss of an estimated 600 billion US dollars annually due to illicit financial flows.
And they can offer a way into the future – a future where we bridge the divides and advance digitalization across the continent.
Excellencies,
No country can close these gaps alone.
Africa’s digital future depends on international cooperation that fosters scientific progress and expands access to technology.
We already have strong foundations.
The Pact for the Future and its annex, the Global Digital Compact, outline shared commitments to an inclusive, sustainable, and secure digital future.
The Sevilla Commitment launched an ambitious agenda to close the four trillion US dollar financing gap and mobilise investment for sustainable development.
The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter this year echoed a common call: that revitalised multilateral cooperation is urgently needed.
We have done it many times before.
In fact, multilateral cooperation with the United Nations at its center has secured eight decades of unprecedented human progress.
For that reason, I urge comprehensive implementation of these outcomes and visions, through both national efforts and international collaboration.
Excellencies,
Let me close with a glimpse of what a digital Africa might look like.
An Africa where a farmer sells produce directly to global markets through an e-commerce platform.
Where healthcare workers use real-time data and new technologies to diagnose and treat disease.
Where computer engineers create apps using open data.
Where art students learn graphic design in artificial intelligence classrooms.
This is the Africa we must build: creative, connected, and empowered.
Let us work together to turn that vision into reality.
I thank you.
