UN vows to address Africa’s development challenges
ADDIS ABABA — The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have reiterated their commitment to further deepening their strategic partnership to address issues related to development, peace and security on the African continent.
The chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, and UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres on Monday convened the second edition of the AU-UN annual conference at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
The two welcomed the strong collaboration between the AU and the UN, and expressed their commitment to further deepening the strategic partnership between the two organisations.
They underscored the importance of multilateral organisations and multilateralism, as instrument for effective international governance and addressing global issues, according to a communique on the conference released on Tuesday.
The first annual conference was held at the UN headquarters in 2017, whereby the two organisations signed a joint UN-AU framework for enhanced partnership in peace and security.
Welcoming the progress on the implementation of the joint framework, the conference on Monday endorsed the action plan on the AU-UN framework for the implementation of Agenda 2063 and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Africa has been implementing the two development agendas, the UN 2030 Agenda on sustainable development, and the AU 2063 Agenda, Africa’s blueprint toward prosperous and peaceful Africa by the year 2063.
The second edition of the AU-UN annual conference underlined the need to promote synergy between the two agendas through different measures, including integrating the agendas with national development frameworks as well as researches and evaluation capacities at national and regional levels.
Speaking to the press at the conclusion of the conference, the UN secretary-general said that he strongly urges the international community to make sure that the two agendas are fully financed in Africa.
The conference reviewed challenges to peace, security and development on the continent, including in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Lake Chad Basin, the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mali and the Sahel, Somalia, and South Sudan, the communique said.
The AU and the UN vowed to enhance collaboration, cooperation and coordination in the search for sustainable solutions to ongoing and future challenges, based on the principles of complementarity, comparative advantage, burden-sharing and collective responsibility to respond early, coherently and decisively to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts on the continent.
The conference expressed deep concern over the evolving uncertainties in the international order, the rifts in international relations and the negative impact on the state of global peace and security, noting the need to adhere to established international norms, principles, and rules, the communique said.
The chairperson of the AU Commission and the UN secretary-general called for further strengthening of a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated approach to conflict prevention by addressing the root causes of conflicts, strengthening political processes and respect for rule of law as well as the promotion of sustainable and inclusive development.
They agreed to jointly increase their support, in close cooperation with Regional Economic Communities, for the peace, security, development and stabilisation initiatives in those conflict-hit countries, while cooperating more closely, particularly with respect to political processes.
They also urged robust action by the international community, to alleviate the humanitarian crises, risks and vulnerability in the affected communities.
They welcomed continued dialogue toward the implementation of the Sahel support plan, developed as part of the recalibration of the UN integrated strategy for the Sahel, and exchanges on the AU efforts in the Sahel, including ongoing efforts to review its strategy.
The two renewed their commitment toward predictable, sustainable and flexible financing for AU-led Peace Support Operations (PSOs) authorised by the UN Security Council.
They welcomed the significant progress achieved in the revitalisation of the AU Peace Fund, the ongoing efforts to establish its governance and management structure, and agreed to sustain the high-level political engagement and consideration for the financing of AU-led PSOs through UN assessed contributions.
The chairperson of the AU Commission and the UN secretary-general agreed to convene the next AU-UN annual conference in New York in 2019.
They also agreed to meet on the margins of the UN General Assembly and the AU Summit, to take stock of progress in the partnership between the two organisations, the communique said.