Barcelona – President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted that there is a resurgence in unlawful wars of aggression and genocide in the world.
Speaking at the Global Progress Mobilisation Plenary during his working visit to Spain, President Ramaphosa, on Saturday, 18 April 2026, stated: “We gather here in Barcelona when the world is in crisis”.
He added: “This is a time of aggression, war, conflict, and destruction.
“The laws and norms that have long defined relations between nations are wilfully violated.
“Institutions of global governance are being undermined or maliciously repurposed.”
President Ramaphosa said the principles of solidarity, cooperation, and friendship were being challenged by the resurgence of narrow nationalism, prejudice, and intolerance.
“The resurgence in unlawful wars of aggression and genocide in places like Palestine are linked to ideologies of superiority that continue to treat the peoples of Africa, Asia, and Latin America as second-class global citizens – and regard the resources of their countries as goods to be used in service of former colonial and imperial powers,” noted President Ramaphosa.
“At the same time, the climate crisis is deepening. Sea levels are rising, and severe weather events are becoming ever more frequent.
“Billions of people across the world go hungry, have no work, and few skills.”
He pointed out that inequality within and between countries was growing.
“Many societies are becoming more fragmented and isolated. Political discourse is being reshaped by algorithms that fuel extremism and hate,” noted President Ramaphosa.
“These are not separate crises. They are connected.
“They reflect a world that has yet to overcome the severe imbalances of power, opportunity, and material well-being that have for so long held back inclusive and sustainable human progress.”
While this may be a time of crisis, President Ramaphosa stated that it was not a moment for doubt or despair.
“This is a moment for action, for mobilisation, for renewal,” he declared.
“For most of us alive today, there has never been a more important moment than now for a global progressive revival.
“A revival that is confident in its values, clear in its purpose, and united in its resolve.
“This moment of severe crisis is at the same time a moment of unique opportunity.”
President Ramaphosa said these crises were an opportunity to galvanise the forces of progressive change to forge a new path of peace, democracy, and social justice.
“It is an opportunity for a new generation of progressives to emerge and to develop a vision of a better, more just and more inclusive world,” he said.
“This is an opportunity to confront the forces of reaction, who have gained much ground by offering people easy answers to complex problems.
“They have exploited legitimate grievances — about jobs, about security, about identity — and they have redirected people’s fears and anger toward the most vulnerable.”
President Ramaphosa said the progressive response cannot be only to oppose.
“We must offer something better,” he said.
“We must speak to the real concerns of working people, of communities that feel left behind, of young people who cannot see a future that makes sense to them.
“We must present a vision that is grounded in people’s experiences, that recognises their concerns, that addresses their pain and overcomes their fears.
“We must pursue a path that is empowering and inclusive.”
President Ramaphosa called for the building of a united front of governments, across the world, political parties, social movements, community organisations, think tanks, influencers, and social activists bound together by a shared desire for a better world.
This must be a united front against inequality and poverty.
“It must revive the drive towards the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” President Ramaphosa said.
“This must be a movement for climate action. It must ensure that countries honour their commitments to curb emissions and to provide meaningful finance and support for mitigation and adaptation.”
He added: “We must build a global movement that enables countries to undertake just and inclusive transitions that drive social and economic development while protecting affected communities, workers, and businesses.
“We must build a world of genuine multilateral cooperation, with global institutions that are representative, democratic, and capable of meeting the challenges of the present and the future.”
He said the United Nations has become a “toothless organisation because those who are members of the Security Council are the ones who continue to violate all the laws and the rights…”
Amid applause, President Ramaphosa added: “We must restore the United Nations to its position at the centre of international relations.”
He said this gathering in Barcelona provides greater impetus to this revival.
“I am certain that we will leave here more united, more purposeful, and more determined than when we arrived.”
