“Eighty years ago, the founding States established this Organization, aspiring to build a multilateral system based on cooperation, respect for international law and the dignity of human beings,” said Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, Vice President of Equatorial Guinea.  He praised the UN for preventing conflicts, supporting decolonization and advancing human rights, but cautioned that this anniversary “must serve as an opportunity for critical self-reflection”.  Too often, he warned, “the response provided to major challenges has fallen short,” with the UN “brought to a standstill by individual interests”.

He singled out the Security Council as the clearest example of this disconnect, noting that its structure “remains rooted in the geopolitical state of play we had in 1945 and not what we see in the 21st century”.  This undermines legitimacy.  “Without that reform, the Security Council will continue to be perceived as an exclusive club of historical privileges,” he said, emphasizing that “Africa is demanding what is hers by right, full and permanent representation”.  True international governance, he continued, must “serve the interests of all of us, not those of an elite”.

Turning to global priorities, he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda, calling it “a collective commitment which reflects our desire to build a world free of poverty, free of hunger and with dignity for all,” though progress remains too slow.  On climate change, he stressed that “climate justice is not a token gesture, it is a moral and legal obligation,” noting that vulnerable nations pay the highest price while major emitters delay action.  He defended sovereignty, saying, “every people has the right to design its own development model free of interference and arbitrary sanctions”.  He cited Equatorial Guinea’s peaceful resolution with Gabon over island sovereignty before the International Court of Justice as proof that “conflicts can be resolved in accordance with the spirit of the UN Charter and in line with States’ political will”.