Senegalese president calls for fairer, more representative global governance

DAKAR, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Saturday called for an ambitious reform of global governance to make it fairer, more representative and better aligned with contemporary realities.

Speaking at a conference of Senegal's ambassadors and consuls general in Diamniadio, near Dakar, Faye said Africa should occupy its rightful place in global governance and have its priorities fully taken into account.

He stressed that multilateralism should remain the preferred framework for international action, but said it must be reinvented, renewed and revitalized in order to move beyond what he described as the post-World War status quo.

"The world is going through a period of major geopolitical turbulence and unprecedented challenges," Faye said, warning that the resurgence of armed conflicts and recurring tensions among nuclear powers are raising questions about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for crisis prevention and management.

He also denounced what he called the growing normalization of unilateral use of force, saying it runs counter to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

According to Faye, such trends endanger global balance and undermine the very idea of human dignity.

He said it is more important than ever to work toward a fairer international order in which human beings remain at the center of concerns and everyone can live in peace, dignity and security.

Faye also called for stronger commitment to African integration, both in the design and implementation of community policies, and urged greater mobilization to make Africa's voice heard on the international stage.

The conference of Senegal's ambassadors and consuls general is being held on April 18 and 19 at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center in Diamniadio. It focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of Senegal's foreign policy and modernizing the country's diplomatic and consular network. ■