Accra, Ghana | 24 October 2026 — As the world marks United Nations Day, commemorating the anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945, attention is being drawn to the pivotal role of the United Nations in fostering peace, advancing sustainable development, promoting human rights, and strengthening international cooperation.
For over eight decades, the United Nations has embodied the belief that humanity’s future depends on working together. Through diplomacy, international law, humanitarian action, and development partnerships, the organization has helped nations address global challenges ranging from conflict and poverty to inequality and climate change.
This year's observance also highlights the United Nations' growing contribution to Africa’s development agenda.
As one of the United Nations University's institutes on the continent, UNU-INRA is focused on generating evidence and knowledge to help African countries derive greater value from their abundant natural resources.
Africa possesses an estimated 30 percent of the world's mineral reserves, including gold, copper, and cobalt. Yet a critical question remains: how much of the wealth generated from these resources stays within African economies and contributes to local development?
At UNU-INRA, researchers are working to answer that question through an approach centered on "Count It, Keep It, Convert It, Circulate It". The framework seeks to ensure that governments have access to reliable data before entering resource agreements, businesses can better assess and finance investment risks, and young Africans can participate in resource governance and innovation through university-led research and capacity-building initiatives.
The institute's work aligns with the vision of UNU Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, who has consistently called for a United Nations that delivers tangible, measurable results that people can see, feel, and trust. In the area of natural resource governance, such results begin with accurate accounting, informed decision-making, and ensuring that resource wealth translates into sustainable development outcomes.
As the global community faces escalating challenges, including climate change, conflict, and economic inequality, United Nations Day serves as a reminder of the enduring value of dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity. It also provides an opportunity to recognize Africa's immense resource potential and the importance of evidence-based policies that ensure those resources drive prosperity for local communities.
"Africa is not poor. Africa is uncounted." This powerful message captures the essence of UNU-INRA's mission under Dr. Richard Munang's leadership: helping African nations count(measure), manage, and maximize the benefits of their natural wealth for present and future generations.
