A World in Transition
The 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) convened at a moment of profound global uncertainty. From the wars in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza to the accelerating climate crisis, leaders used their podium time to call for reform, justice, and renewed multilateralism.
Among the most compelling interventions were those of President William Ruto of Kenya, President John Mahama of Ghana, and President Alexander Stubb of Finland. Their speeches, though shaped by different contexts, converged on urgent themes: UN reform, financial justice, and the moral imperative of peace and climate action.
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Voices of Reform: Kenya, Ghana, and Finland
โข Kenyaโs William Ruto pressed for Africaโs rightful place on the Security Council, pointing to Kenyaโs Haiti leadership and its 93% renewable energy base as evidence of Africaโs peacekeeping and climate innovation.
โข Ghanaโs John Mahama framed the future as African, demanding reparations for slavery, condemning Gaza atrocities, and calling for a reset of global finance.
โข Finlandโs Alexander Stubb spoke as a principled small state, urging reform anchored in law and diplomacy, warning that the UN risks irrelevance if it fails to adapt.
Together, they captured a world in transitionโAfrica demanding recognition, Europe calling for principled reform, and the Global South insisting on financial justice.
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The Honour Roll: Who Pays, Who Delays
Beneath the rhetoric lies a quieter but critical measure: financial contributions.
โข In 2024, 142 member states honoured their full UN assessments.
โข By August 2025, only 127 had paid in full.
This is more than accounting. It is a credibility test: speeches for reform mean little if not backed by financial responsibility.
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Africaโs Top Contributors (2024โ2025)
โข South Africa: $7.7m (2024); $8.5m (2025)
โข Nigeria: $5.7m (2024; not yet on 2025 Honour Roll)
โข Egypt: $4.4m (2024); $6.1m (2025)
โข Algeria: $3.4m (2024); $2.96m (2025)
โข Morocco: $1.7m (2024); $2.0m (2025)
โข Kenya: $945k (2024); $1.26m (2025)
These figures reflect both continuity and ambition. South Africa and Egypt are scaling up their contributions, while Kenyaโs symbolic crossing of the $1m mark mirrors President Rutoโs reformist stance.
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Ghanaโs Silence
Ghana has not appeared on the Honour Roll since 2022, when it last paid $689,441.
At UNGA80, President Mahama called for reparations, financial reform, and African centrality. But Ghanaโs unpaid dues weaken its influence and credibility. Failure to pay risks losing voting rights under Article 19 of the UN Charter, undercutting Ghanaโs role as a voice of the Global South.
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The Price of Global Leadership
Reform of the Security Council, restructuring of finance, and climate action all require resources. The Honour Roll reminds us that leadership is measured not only by eloquence but by deedsโand in the UN system, those deeds are denominated in dollars.
For Africa, the message is clear: to demand a greater voice, the continent must also show financial discipline.
As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, its credibility depends not just on speeches in New York, but on the essential act of paying dues. The price of leadership is both political and financialโand those who aspire to shape the future must shoulder both.
