# African diplomatic priorities at the United Nations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/african-diplomatic-priorities-at-the-united-nations
> Updated: 2026-09-26T18:40:50.000Z. Sources: 44. Developments: 2.

During the 81st United Nations General Assembly, African leaders and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) presented unified calls for systemic global reform. The AES delegation, including ministers from Niger and Burkina Faso, held high-level meetings to promote their vision for security and development, aiming to correct international narratives regarding the region.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye advocated for a more representative UN Security Council and a transformation of the global financial architecture to address debt and development funding gaps. Faye also expressed official support for former President Macky Sall’s candidacy for UN Secretary-General, emphasizing the need for African leadership in global governance.

Equatorial Guinea’s Vice-President Teodoro Mangue called for increased investment in Africa’s industrialization, infrastructure, and human capital to create jobs and strengthen local value chains. He also proposed that Africa be granted two permanent seats with veto rights on the Security Council.

Additionally, leaders from the Global South, including representatives from Cameroon, Samoa, and Sri Lanka, urged for a financial reset that accounts for climate vulnerability and provides easier access to development funds. Meanwhile, Chad reaffirmed its strict neutrality in the Sudanese conflict while warning against territorial incursions, specifically condemning recent aerial strikes on its territory. 

In a broader discussion on emerging technologies, leaders at the assembly warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could exacerbate global inequality and create employment uncertainty for the world’s growing youth population.

## Claims

- Rwanda's Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva stated that the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is rooted in political issues. (disputed by 3 sources)
- The UN Secretary-General will leave his post at the end of this year. (disputed)
- Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed support for former President Macky Sall's candidacy for UN Secretary-General. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The Confederation of Sahel States (AES) held a high-level diplomatic event at the UN to present its vision for security and development. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged the UN to prioritize diplomacy to prevent crises rather than merely responding to them after they occur. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Congo's Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka accused Rwanda of conducting a war of aggression through the AFC/M23 movement. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Equatorial Guinea's Vice-President called for increased investment in Africa to develop local value chains, infrastructure, and industrialization. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Equatorial Guinea advocated for Africa to hold two permanent seats with veto rights and two additional non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Chad reaffirmed its strict neutrality regarding the war in Sudan at the UN General Assembly. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific called for reforms to the global financial system to address climate vulnerability and debt. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Cameroon's Foreign Minister Mbella Mbella called for reforming the international financial architecture to support the Global South. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-26: Macky Sall's UN candidacy and APR leadership succession

Macky Sall remains a potential UN Secretary-General candidate due to Security Council dynamics, while his political party, the APR, prepares for a leadership transition should he win.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/macky-salls-un-candidacy-and-apr-leadership-succession

### 2026-09-26: African leaders call for UN reform and industrial investment at General Assembly

At the 81st UN General Assembly, African leaders called for Security Council reform, industrial investment, and supported Macky Sall's UN Secretary-General candidacy while addressing Sahel security and AI risks

42 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/african-health-ministers-advocate-for-pandemic-preparedness-at-un

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Cite as: African diplomatic priorities at the United Nations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/african-diplomatic-priorities-at-the-united-nations