Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to the African Union, highlighted “encouraging developments” that are fueling optimism.
“These include Africa’s resilient people and resourceful women and youth, their strong preference for democratic governance against all odds, the recently won G20 membership and the recently adopted Pact for the Future,” he explained.
“Knowing the special attention this Council pays to Africa, I have every reason to believe that we will all choose hope over despairand join a partnership that is purposeful, smarter and rooted in a fairer global environment,” he added.
A reliable partnership
Informing the Security Council As part of his UN-AU cooperation agenda, the Special Representative briefed Members on ongoing cooperation with the African Union (AU), including through the AU Peace and Security Council.
This collaboration includes monthly coordination meetings, joint briefings, informal discussions and retreats. It also includes collaboration at the working level, which remains a key feature of the partnership and allows for joint analysis and planning, he said.
Mr Onanga-Anyanga also commended the AU leadership, including Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat, who is nearing the end of his term, for their commitment to the partnership.
“In this leadership team, the UN has benefited enormously from a reliable and like-minded partner in pursuing the shared ambition to build a lasting strategic and institutionalized partnership between our two organizations,” he said.
Implementation of Council Resolution 2719
Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), also briefed the Security Council, highlighting the adoption of Resolution 2719 as an important milestone for UN-AU cooperation.
Resolution 2719, adopted in December 2023, focuses on strengthening the partnership, including enhanced support for AU-led peacekeeping operations and possible access to UN-assessed contributions in line with established frameworks.
“It built on the enduring relationship between the two organisations, taking into account their respective strengths and comparative advantages,” she said.
Ms. Pobee also emphasized that the support of the Security Council, the broader UN membership and members of the AU will remain critical in the coming days.
“Together, the AU Commission and the UN Secretariat stand ready to translate Security Council Resolution 2719 into concrete actions that would contribute to lasting peace and stability in Africa and beyond,” she concluded.
