UN Secretary-General H.E. António Guterres called for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council and reforms to international financial institutions at the Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum in New York, held alongside the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. He said Africa’s growing influence in global markets should translate into a stronger voice in international affairs and urged the continent to capture more value from critical minerals and other natural resources through local processing and job creation. The forum brought together African and global business leaders, government officials, investors and international institutions to discuss trade, investment, energy, healthcare, technology and industrial development. H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Africa’s 1.5 billion people and expanding market required faster development of regional value chains, supported by affordable energy, infrastructure, finance, skills, technology and clear standards. The event also announced the first close of Nigeria’s US$300 million Distributed Renewable Energy Fund, co-managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Africa50 to finance decentralized clean-energy projects. Existing discussion at the forum also covered Africa’s 4.4% economic growth last year, African Continental Free Trade Area trade potentially reaching $230 billion this year, renewable energy, digital technology, concessional lending, climate adaptation, female entrepreneurs and African-led mediation efforts in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.