81st UN General Assembly: No race is superior, every human being belongs to one family – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has called for a world order that recognises the dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race, religion, nationality or place of birth.

He made the call when he addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24.

His address covered a range of global issues, including racial justice, reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, conflicts, climate change, global inequality and Africa’s representation in international institutions.

President Mahama said the international community must reject divisions based on race, nationality or other identities and instead recognise the shared humanity of all people.

“We must see each other not as strategic rivals, economic targets, or demographic threats, but as human beings who belong," said the President.

He said this principle should guide the response to conflicts, migration, climate change, poverty and other global challenges.

“Let this General Assembly recommit itself to a world where belonging is used not to erect walls, but to build bridges; not to exclude, but to unite; not to degrade humanity, but to exalt,” he added.

The President also linked his call for equality to Africa’s demand for greater representation in global decision-making, including a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

He argued that Africa, despite being home to more than 1.5 billion people and constituting the largest regional voting bloc in the General Assembly, remains excluded from permanent representation on the Security Council.

“Security Council reform is not a favour to Africa. It is an imperative for the legitimacy, the credibility, and the survival of the United Nations,” he said.