NEW YORK, US — President William Ruto has called for sweeping reforms to the United Nations and the global financial system, arguing that institutions created decades ago must be updated to reflect today’s realities.
Ruto said the reforms were necessary to restore trust in international cooperation and give developing countries, particularly African nations, a greater voice in global decision-making.
He spoke in New York on Tuesday while co-hosting the Partners for Multilateralism Summit with European Council President António Costa and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Ruto Pushes UN Security Council Reform
The President renewed Kenya’s call for changes to the UN Security Council, saying its structure should become more representative and inclusive.
“This is why Kenya continues to advocate reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and inclusive, particularly for Africa,” Ruto said.
Africa currently has no permanent seat on the 15-member Security Council, despite the continent’s central role in international peace and security discussions.
Ruto’s position is aligned with the broader African push for permanent and non-permanent representation under the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also backed greater African representation, arguing that the Council’s current composition does not adequately reflect the realities of the modern world.
President Demands Changes to Global Finance
Ruto also called for an overhaul of the international financial architecture, saying the current system makes it difficult for developing countries to mobilise affordable capital for development.
“It should price risk more accurately and enable developing countries to mobilise more of their own capital for development,” he said.
The President has repeatedly argued that high borrowing costs and the way international markets price risk have constrained African countries’ ability to finance infrastructure, climate action and other development priorities.
He said multilateral and development finance institutions should do more than provide conventional loans, including using guarantees, credit enhancement and risk-sharing mechanisms to attract pension funds, insurers and other long-term investors into development projects.
Ruto Says Africa Has Capital to Finance Development
President Ruto’s argument is that African countries have substantial domestic savings that are not being effectively channelled into productive investment.
He has called for international financial institutions to help unlock that capital rather than leaving African governments heavily dependent on expensive external borrowing.
The approach is particularly significant as developing countries face rising financing needs for infrastructure, climate adaptation, healthcare and other development programmes.
Ruto has previously linked high interest rates and perceived investment risks to the cost of borrowing faced by African economies.
Partners for Multilateralism Launched
The summit formed part of the new Partners for Multilateralism initiative, which brings together countries seeking to strengthen and reform the multilateral system.
The initiative was launched during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week and is co-sponsored by countries including Kenya, the European Union, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada and India.
Its participants have called for international institutions to become more effective, representative, inclusive and fit for purpose.
The group’s declaration also supports reforms to the international financial architecture and stronger cooperation on international finance, climate change, artificial intelligence, global health and digital transformation.
Global Institutions Under Pressure
Ruto’s intervention comes amid growing international debate over whether institutions created in the aftermath of the Second World War can adequately respond to today’s conflicts, economic pressures and emerging technologies.
The 81st UN General Assembly is being held under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
Other world leaders have also called for changes to the UN system. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised the Security Council’s current structure, while Russia has said it supports expanding permanent membership but wants the existing veto system retained.
