São Tomé and Príncipe calls for climate finance and UN reform

During the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Ilza Amado Vaz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities of São Tomé and Príncipe, called for significant advancements in climate financing and reforms to the United Nations Security Council.

Vaz highlighted the disproportionate impact of global warming on small island states, describing the situation as a “profound climate injustice.” She advocated for the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index to be used as concrete criteria for accessing concessional financing. Additionally, she called for the full operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund and easier access to the Green Climate Fund, noting that the limited institutional capacity of vulnerable nations should not hinder their access to support instruments.

Regarding international governance, Vaz argued for the reform of the UN Security Council to better reflect current global realities. She stated that Africa’s demographic, economic, and political importance is not adequately represented in decision-making institutions and that the Council must move away from a power distribution inherited from a previous era to ensure legitimacy, justice, and effectiveness.