BENIN AMBASSADOR CHAMPIONS MULTILATERAL REFORM AND CLIMATE JUSTICE AT UNGA 81

New York (September 28, 2026) — Ambassador Marc Hermanne Gninadoou Araba, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Benin to the United Nations, addressed the General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly today, delivering a comprehensive security and developmental roadmap focused on combating regional terrorism, restructuring international finance, and advancing climate justice.

Ambassador Araba expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity threatening the West African subregion, specifically highlighting the cross-border expansion of terrorism that seeks to exploit local economic and social vulnerabilities. He affirmed that Benin is executing a resolute response by systematically strengthening its national defense capabilities, expanding territorial border surveillance, and aggressively stepping up security cooperation with regional neighbors and international partners. The Ambassador emphasized that isolationism cannot guarantee security, noting that no single nation can build lasting prosperity or stability independently in the face of modern global crises.

Confronting global economic disparities, Ambassador Araba called for a comprehensive transformation of the international financial architecture to provide developing countries with predictable, customized access to long-term financing. He underscored that investing directly in sustainable development is a prerequisite for permanent peace, urging that the global energy transition be structured to drive local industrialization, generate meaningful employment, and expand energy access rather than forcing a choice between growth and sustainability. Addressing climate change, he clarified that developing nations are not seeking a right to pollute but rather a right to development, demanding that international frameworks urgently fulfill promises regarding adaptation funding, resilience building, and the mitigation of loss and damage.

The Ambassador also announced a historic legislative initiative by the Beninese government to offer citizenship to members of the African diaspora who wish to rekindle ancestral ties with the continent, positioning Benin as a land of multi-generational reunion. To ensure global institutional legitimacy, he concluded by demanding a structural overhaul of the United Nations, explicitly advocating for the expansion of the UN Security Council to finally grant African nations permanent representation.