UN Chief in Lesotho: Wealthy Nations Must Act on Climate Promises

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited Lesotho, urging rich countries to keep their climate finance promises. He highlighted the urgency for Africa, which faces severe impacts despite contributing little to global warming. Guterres also pushed for permanent African seats on the UN Security Council, calling current exclusion a colonial relic. Lesotho, hit by drought and other climate crises, is a stark example of Africa's vulnerability. Guterres' visit comes amid a three-day tour of southern Africa. He previously stopped in South Africa, where he expressed hope for African representation in the Security Council by the end of his term in December 2026. In Lesotho, he stressed the need for immediate action on climate finance, especially for landlocked and least developed countries like Lesotho. The UN chief's call for climate finance follows an agreement at last month's UN climate talks in Azerbaijan to inject at least $300 billion annually to help developing nations cope with global warming. This amount falls short of the over $1 trillion developing countries were demanding.

Lesotho, a small mountainous kingdom, has declared a national disaster due to the ongoing drought affecting over 27 million people in southern Africa. The drought, exacerbated by climate change, has devastated crops and triggered hunger crises. Guterres emphasized the importance of swiftly funding the newly created Loss and Damage Fund to compensate poor countries for climate-induced natural disasters. He also visited the Katse Dam, part of Lesotho's water project aimed at redirecting water to South Africa to alleviate water shortages. A recent report by the World Meteorological Organization revealed that African nations lose up to 5% of their GDP annually due to climate change, bearing a heavier burden than other regions. Guterres’ visit underscores the critical need for global cooperation to address the inequities of climate change.

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