“Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: A New Social Contract for a New Era”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivers 18th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture
At the same time, the UN Secretary-General also sketched an encouraging picture of a roadmap with practical steps we can take to reduce inequality. Taking these steps, he emphasised, is entirely possible - and it would enable tangible progress towards a more just world, and a sustainable future for humankind.
Leading South African news anchor and NMF Board Member Nikiwe Bikitsha conducted a live interview with António Guterres after his speech
The world-famous lecture is organized annually by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which the legendary freedom fighter founded after the end of his term as South Africa's first democratically elected president. The HSF is a close partner of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. In recent years, the lecture has been held by Thomas Piketty and Bill Gates, and in 2018, the year of Mandela's 100th birthday, President Barack Obama was the speaker in Johannesburg. The 18th lecture this year was the first to take place exclusively online. Millions followed the event over multiple channels. An innovative platform of the Nelson Mandela Foundation offered a livestream which included diverse commentary and a Q & A session with Antonio Guterres after his speech. Many TV stations covered the event, the international press wrote about it extensively, and the echo was huge on social media as well.
Nelson Mandela signing the new South African Constitution
Graeme Williams; Gallo Images
As the Hanns Seidel Foundation in South Africa, we are honoured to have supported this year's Annual Lecture event again as well. Watch our short video we created for this occasion which was shown during the Nelson Mandela Foundation livestream, shortly before the UN Secretary-General commenced his speech. It is part of the Nelson Mandela Foundation YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUG2kMy9qzM
Markus Ferber, HSF Chairman and Member of the European Parliament, as well as the German Ambassador to South Africa contributed to the video, which introduces current HSF projects and reflects on cooperation between our countries and continents.
António Guterres gave a truly engaging, incisive speech
In his lecture, António Guterres touched on a number of crucial themes. One relates to the urgent reform of international institutions: „Inequality starts at the top: in global institutions. Addressing inequality must start by reforming them."
The UN Secretary General also highlighted questions of corruption and tax policy, as well as the containment of illegal financial flows, which has long been long overdue: "Illicit financial flows, money-laundering and tax evasion must be prevented. A global consensus to end tax havens is essential."
Special Invitation for this years's Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture
NMF; NMF
The passionate speech was a rallying call that analytically revealed the breaking points of our global order. However, it also left many questions unanswered and could be interpreted in parts and by many experts as overly optimistic. Many of the necessary reforms can only be implemented through compromise between leading powers, and a concentration of many countries on their own challenges arising from the aftermath of the fight against pandemics would not make it easier to find consensus. Concerted efforts are needed to ensure that the global community will actually use the crisis as an opportunity.
The intense, dense speech full of facts and analysis is bound to be read and re-read very carefully many times. Diverse stakeholders from many countries and different sectors would be keen to see some of its key suggestions implemented with urgency. Find the complete transcript here:
If you missed the lecture, you can watch a full recording here: