Kenya’s President: EU and Africa must address climate change and migration
In his address to MEPs on Tuesday, Kenya’s President William Ruto called forstronger international cooperation to fight climate change, combat poverty and tackle conflicts.
During a formal sitting in Strasbourg, President Ruto demanded new forms of cooperation between the EU and Africa based on mutually beneficial strategies. “Europe has been an ally and partner to Africa for many years,” he said.
Noting that rising living costs, fiscal strain, and migration challenges are weakening international solidarity, he called on the EU to work together with African countries on migration management by addressing the root causes of irregular migration. President Ruto also stressed that world leaders, including Africa’s, must remain alert to the risk of tensions and disagreements escalating rapidly and with costly consequences.
President Ruto paid particular attention in his address to the challenges caused by climate change, making everyone equal “in the face of a shared global challenge, transcending all divides North-South, East-West, developed and developing.”
It is increasingly clear that the international political structures established in the 20th century are no longer fit for purpose, he said, calling for a fundamental redefinition of international cooperation that would move beyond arrangements that perpetuate cycles of indebtedness and dependence.