Kenya's Ruto Lambasts Africa's Treatment by West, Calls for UNSC Reform

Kenya's President William Ruto received a standing ovation after speaking out against the mistreatment of African heads of state during their visits to European nations.

In his speech, Ruto emphasized that African leaders are often not given a platform to fully explain their concerns and are only allocated a brief amount of time to contribute.

"We want to be effective, not just taking pictures, having dinner and then we go home. Good people, we have food in our countries," the president said.

He noted that such treatment is insufficient and that there is often no opportunity for broader engagement of the African leaders.

"When others want to engage with us, they don't want to deal with a tray card, what kind of outcome do you expect where 50 heads of state are sitting, with limited time to speak, what kind of engagement will one get?" he popped the question.

Sub-Saharan Africa

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The head of state highlighted that the humiliations inflicted on Africa by Western powers have had a profound impact on the continent, leading to instability and impeding the implementation of serious policies without Western intervention.

"The most unfortunate thing is that some of the people who normally invite us for these meetings do tell us that there will be consequences should we fail to turn up. They have been inviting us to meetings that have no meaningful outcomes because of blackmail. It is not right," the president said.

He pointed out that the history of colonialism and imperialism in Africa by Western countries has resulted in deep-seated resentment and distrust between African leaders and their Western counterparts. This view is based on stereotypes about Africa, including the belief that Africans are lazy, corrupt, and unable to govern themselves, Ruto noted.

Furthermore, the leader revealed that Western countries often use their economic and military power to coerce African nations into doing what they want, creating an unequal power dynamic that makes it challenging for African leaders to advocate for their own interests and resist Western interference.

"I have written to my brothers noting that any engagement must respect the rules of the African continent. Anybody who wants us to take them seriously must first respect our socio-political architecture [...] We do not want to be invited to a confused meeting where we are ineffective and lack the spine to determine the outcome of the engagement," said the president.

'Time' to Grant Africa Two Permanent UNSC Seats

In addition, Ruto called for reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), stating that Africa deserves at least two permanent seats on the council. He highlighted that although the UN is a crucial forum for global diplomacy, peace, security, and trade, among other issues, Africa has been significantly disadvantaged.

The president emphasized the need for reforms to redress the imbalance and ensure that Africa's voice is heard and given equal weight on the global stage.

"The world has since changed tremendously. Countries that had not become self-determining have since attained independence and are making a huge contribution to their peoples, continents, and the world," Ruto said. "It is, therefore, time to reform the UN Security Council and change it from an exclusive club of 5 permanent members to a more representative global council that works for the interests of the whole world. Africa demands and deserves two permanent seats at the Security Council".

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While speaking at the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Governance Conversation in Nairobi last April, Ruto highlighted the challenges faced by African presidents during foreign trips, expressing his dissatisfaction with the treatment of African leaders who are occasionally mistreated.

"We have these meetings, Africa-US, Africa-Europe, Africa-Turkiye, now we are waiting for Africa-Russia and Africa-Japan. We have decided that it is not intelligent for 54 of us to go and sit before one gentleman from another place [...] Sometimes we are mistreated, we are loaded into busses like school children and it is not right," the president stressed.

The statement refers to an incident that occurred on September 20, 2022, when President Ruto, alongside Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu and other African leaders, rode in a bus to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom. Instead of providing every African leader with a car, British authorities stated that the bus was the only variant due to logistical issues. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden was allowed to drive in a personal cortege.

'Not Right': Kenya's Ruto Lambasts Africa's Treatment by West, Calls for UNSC Reform

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