World leaders must take decisive steps to address inequalities in all their manifestations, as advised by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He said, “Unequal access to resources, opportunities, and social provisions is damaging to societies, incites hostilities and violence, and threatens peace and security.”
Inequalities have implications far beyond economic development as they undermine social cohesion and also breed resentment, he stated in an address at the 2023 Paris Peace Forum in France.
President Nana Akufo-Addo bemoaned the unequal access to opportunities and technology.
It was holding hundreds of millions of people back from achieving their potential and realizing their aspirations, he noted, emphasizing the need to foster economic equity to promote inclusive economic growth.
The President said it was imperative to invest in education, healthcare, and social safety nets to ensure that everyone, everywhere has an equal opportunity to prosper.
Additionally, the President advocated a reform of the global financial architecture “because the current system is not fit for purpose when it comes to addressing inequalities.”
The United Nations (UN), in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report 2023, says one in six people worldwide has experienced discrimination in some form, with women and people with disabilities disproportionately affected.
Inequality threatens long-term social and economic development, harms poverty reduction, and destroys people’s sense of fulfillment and self-worth.
The UN Report estimates that in 2022, there was the highest number of refugees ever documented (34.6 million people), with the COVID-19 pandemic also causing the largest rise in between-country inequality in three decades.
President Nana Akufo-Addo stated that conflicts perpetuated inequalities, and their prevention should be a global priority.
“Simultaneously, we must take meaningful steps to combat climate change and support climate adaptation while transitioning to sustainable green economies.”
He reiterated the importance of reforming the institutions of global governance, particularly the UN Security Council, and correcting the longstanding injustice that the current structure and composition of the Council represent, especially for the nations of Africa.
“We cannot continue to preach democracy and fairness around the world; we cannot insist on peace and justice around the world when our global security organization is not seen by the majority of its members as having a structure that is effective, fair, and just.”
The 2023 Paris Peace Forum was held to find common ground on the governance of global commons and global public goods in domains like climate change, outer space, and critical minerals.
It was intended to facilitate dialogue, create action-oriented coalitions, and define norms or pre-norms as a way to deliver efficient responses to the urgent challenges of the time.