Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations (AU) - Security Council, 10233rd meeting Security Council Date: 6 October 2026 Language: English Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/sc/10233 Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations. --- Greece · President of the Security Council [21:26]: The 10,233rd meeting of the Security Council is called to order. I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute on behalf of the Council to His Excellency Mr. Jerome Bonafont, Permanent Representative of France, for his service as President of the Council for the month of September. I am sure I speak for all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Bonifont and his team for the great diplomatic skill with which they conducted the Council's business last month. The provisional agenda for this meeting is cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security; African Union. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Parfait Onanga Nyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union; and Mr. Zinurine Al Ghali, Senior Advisor, Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2026/682, the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union on issues of peace and security in Africa, including the work of the United Nations Office to the African Union. I now give the floor to Mr. Bafelo Nangayanga. UN · Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union [24:06]: Thank you very much, Madam President. Your Excellency, Ambassador Otlaia Baltar, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of October. Your Excellencies, distinguished members of the Council, the Special Adviser of the African Union, my dear brother, Zino, ladies and gentlemen. I thank the President of the Security Council for convening today's meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, including the African Union. Before the Council is the report of the Secretary-General on strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union on issues of peace and security in Africa, including the work of the United Nations Office to the African Union, UN-OAU. The report records important achievements in the AU-UN partnership, while also confronting a more complex and interconnected peace and security landscape. It highlights opportunities for deepening our cooperation and reviews the work of the United Nations Office to the African Union since the previous report of 25th of August 2025. My central message, Madam President, is straightforward. The scale and complexity of today's challenges demand a stronger partnership, one that anticipates crisis, addresses the pressures that sustain them, and converts shared commitments into prompt, predictable, and accountable action. I will therefore focus on three priorities, the evolving conflict landscape, the cross-cutting drivers of instability, and the practical delivery of the AU-UN partnership in peace support operations. Madam President, Excellencies, turning on the strategic context and regional crisis, and as we contemplate Africa's current challenges, my optimism in Africa's resilience and brighter future remains unwavering. Africa is indeed a continent of immense promise, where a vibrant, youthful population and abundant natural resources, leveraged by bold leadership in a more conducive global environment, could be central in driving a new era of continental agency and opportunity for all. consistent with the vision enshrined in Agenda 2063, the Africa we want. However, as reported by the Secretary General, several countries in Africa are experiencing an escalation in the lethality and geographical spread of violence. We reported search in civilian casualties. The fragility of state institutions and governance remain also a significant challenge. Equally worrisome are the persistent and growing threats of terrorism and violent extremism, the inequitable management of natural resources, organized crime, and the increasing use of and man aerial systems in warfare. We continue to bear witness to the conflict landscape becoming more complex while the available conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms and tools have struggled to adjust. This continental picture is reflected most starkly in three regional theaters where conflict dynamics, humanitarian pressures, and external influences increasingly intersect. The Horn of Africa remains one of the continent's more fragile security environments, shaped by devastating conflict in several member states, which are fueled by longstanding and unaddressed grievances, the toxic weaponization of identities, and as recently stressed by AUC Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, by undue external influences and shocks. In the Great Lakes region, prospects for peace and stability remain elusive. Efforts to achieve a sustainable settlement continue through several complementary tracks, including the African Union-led mediation headed by President Nyakibey, alongside the panel of facilitators, the East African Community, EAC, and Southern Africa Development Community, SADC, as well as the Washington process led by the United States and the Doha Dialogue facilitated by the state of Qatar. However, these processes are frustrated by weak implementation, continued fighting despite commitment by the parties to a permanent ceasefire and ongoing regional tensions. In the Sahel region, insecurity persists amid interconnected political security and humanitarian crisis driven by violent extremism, weak governance, delayed political transitions, displacement, food insecurity, and Greece · President of the Security Council [31:18]: Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Ananga, your microphone is muted. We cannot hear you. UN · Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union [31:31]: President, I don't know how it happened, but let me please-- I'm sorry, I don't know where this technical glitch came from, but let me just resume. my briefing and I frankly don't know where did I, you lost me. Greece · President of the Security Council [32:00]: Go back, you can continue. UN · Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union [32:04]: Very good, thank you very much. I was saying that in the Sahel region, insecurity persists amid interconnected political security and humanitarian crisis. driven by violent extremism, weak governance, delayed political transitions, displacement, food insecurity, and climate pressures. These challenges increasingly threaten coastal West Africa and the wider continent. They also underscore the need for new and more pragmatic approaches to collective action on the region's multidimensional challenges. The AU Peace and Security Council Ongoing informal consultations with the areas are a positive step towards sustaining engagement with countries in transition. Equally important are predictable funding for humanitarian assistance and investment in food security, livelihoods, climate resilience, and essential services. Overall, sustained AU-UN cooperation, African ownership and partner support are therefore essential to meet urgent needs and address the root causes of instability across the continent. Madame President, Excellences, with regard to cross-cutting prevention and resilience priorities, examination of regional crises clearly shows that we need an approach on managing these crises. This situation requires a sustained attention on structural factors that are amplifying the risks and worsening the fragile situation, as well as inclusive approaches placing women and children at the heart of peacebuilding. As the Council very well knows, the climate tensions being what they are, According to the African Peace and Security Council, the climate change effects continue to act as a multiplying risk factor throughout Africa, interacting with peace and security efforts and exacerbating growing vulnerability. Partnership between the African Union and the UN is solid, and the states of the African Union are continuing to discuss their common African position. Resilience must also include prevention to climate risks, and young people will play a significant role here in preparing peace and security responses. The United Nations itself will also continue to closely cooperate with the African Union to ensure implementation of resolution 1325 on peace and security. We recently saw support for a high-level mission in Mali in August, when we held a regional seminar bringing together more than 200 women, calling for peace and a more constructive approach being given to women. We also have African youth. Their leadership is indispensable for lasting peace. African youth is no longer prepared to be a passive observer for peace and security. They are playing a key role of co-creator of peace. And I take this opportunity to welcome the African, praise the African Union for its peace and security framework that guarantees the active participation of young people in the peace process. And then, Madam President, Excellencies, inclusive. policy must also have clear responsibilities throughout the cycle of a conflict. The challenges that Africa faces in peace and security and development are interdependent and require a comprehensive approach covering the whole cycle of a conflict, focusing on prevention, dialogue and trust building. We favour an approach that links together peace, security and development in facing these challenges. In this context, The reform of governance in the security sector continues to play an essential role in addressing conflicts and strengthening institutions, thanks to responsible governance of monitoring mechanisms and people-centred approaches. With regard to the third priority, namely partnership between the African Union and the UN in the area of peace support missions, The real test for our partnership is a practical one. We need to know whether our political commitment and our institutional tools will make it possible to provide effective responses on the ground. partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in the area of peace operations and peace support operations continues to be deepened thanks to a strategic alignment, better institutional preparation and joint action towards lasting peace and security in the region. And it reflects our common commitment to strengthen responses to conflicts that are taking place in Africa based on international standards and the need for accountability and the need for lasting political solutions. In Somalia, for example, the transition towards the support and stabilization mission of the AUN Somalia, AMISOM, translates the promises made in the area of peacekeeping. The AU and the UN continue to coordinate the progressive handover of security responsibilities to the Somali institutions, whilst ensuring that the effectiveness of the mission is maintained. Common goals include improving viability, strengthening the essential support, as well as providing predictable and adequate funding. This gives us a precious example for future peace operations led by the African Union. And the United Nations is also determined to continue to cooperate with us to prepare future forces. And considerable progress has been made. with regard to the implementation of Resolution 2719, and preparations are underway for joint tabletop exercises to look into the practical feasibility of the operation before operations begin. This will make it possible to to evaluate how ready institutions are that will be led by the AU and authorized by the Security Council. In this regard, the responsibility of the AU will continue to play a key role in our partnership, basing ourselves on full ownership of troop-contributing countries and police-contributing countries, ensuring that international law is respected, and human rights and international humanitarian law are all respected, as well as the conduct and discipline standards are applied. The priority for a more impactful partnership is to translate these frameworks into practice through sustained political commitment, stronger institutional preparedness, and continued investment in joint AU-UN mechanisms for future authorized African Union-led peace support operations. Operational readiness must also be strengthened by sustained political coordination between the two Councils and across institutions that support them. In this regard, I am pleased to report that preparations are well underway for the 11th informal joint seminar that you yourself, Madam Chair, Madam President, will be presiding over, and the 20th annual joint consultation meeting between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council taking place in New York later this month. I welcome the extensive consultations between the presidents and chairpersons of the respective councils during the current and previous months in preparation for the upcoming meetings. I would also like to acknowledge the critical coordination role of the African members of the Security Council, the A3, who provide a critical link between the two councils. I am also pleased to report that the practice of regular briefings by the special representatives and envoys of the United Nations and African Union and other senior officials to the two councils continue. as today. These briefings offer critical insights and analysis to assist in decision making. The partnership coordination mechanisms between the United Nations Secretariat and the AU Commission, including the annual conference, the Joint Task Force on Peace and Security, director level and desk to desk meetings, remain active and symbiotic. These mechanisms have been buttressed by the annual retreat of AU and UN Special Representatives and envoys, whose fourth edition took place in Libreville in May. Madam President, Excellencies, in closing, the Secretary-General has consistently underscored that strong and enduring partnerships between the United Nations, the African Union, and other regional organizations are the bedrock of effective and networked multilateralism. Our task now is to make that principle tangible. This requires at least three commitments: stronger investment in prevention, mediation, and national-owned political solutions; predictable and sustainable support for African-led peace support operations, including through the effective implementation of Security Council Resolution 2719, and sustained coordination between the United Nations and the African Union from the two councils to the operational level. Madam President, Excellencies, the United Nations and the African Union have built a strategic and of real depth and consequence. We must now ensure that we act with greater unity of purpose, speed and impact. Because the measure of our partnership is not the strength of our frameworks, but the difference we make for people facing conflict and insecurity. I pay tribute to the leadership of the African Union Commission, particularly Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Commissioner Bangoula Adehoye, for their steadfast commitment to advancing peace and security through our model partnership. I thank you for your kind attention. Greece · President of the Security Council [44:27]: I thank Mr. Onaga Nyanga for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Zinurrin Naghaly. AU · Senior Advisor [44:40]: Your Excellency, Ms. Agalia Baltar, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of October 2026, Esteemed members of the United Nations Security Council, Ladies and gentlemen, Madam President, on behalf of His Excellency Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Allow me to begin by congratulating Greece on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. I also thank you, Madam President, for convening this annual briefing on cooperation between the UN and the AU. Let me also thank Special Representative Onanga Anyanga for presenting the report of the Secretary-General, the last under Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on this item, and one that closes a tenure that has done more than any before it to institutionalize AU-UN partnership. Since this Council last met on this item, the partnership, grounded in the principle of complementarity, has established instruments it did not have a year ago. At the 10th AU-UN Annual Conference in Addis Ababa on 13 May 2026, The Chairperson of the Commission and the Secretary-General signed a declaration reaffirming the principles of the three joint frameworks on peace and security, on Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda, and on human rights. General Assembly resolution 79/329 of 5 September 2025 welcomed the Memorandum of Intent on Cooperation in Operational Support and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Knowledge and Expertise Exchange Program. The latter renewed for three years this September. The 27th meeting of the Joint Task Force on Peace and Security held in New York on 26 September, the vitalized desk-to-desk consultations with the regional economic communities and regional mechanisms The joint retreat of special representatives and envoys and the seventh AU-EU-UN trilateral meeting on 20 September have kept the two secretariats in step on prevention, mediation and peace support operations. Madam President, the measure of this partnership, however, must ultimately be its impact on the lives of people affected by conflict. In the Sudan, there is no military solution to the crisis. This is why the African Union is leading the efforts of the quintet alongside the United Nations, the League of Arab States, IGAD and the EU to enable a Sudanese-led peace process. The Peace and Security Council has also endorsed a peace plan, which the Commission is now translating into an implementation framework. We request this Council and all partners to bring the parallel initiatives into coherence behind an inclusive Sudanese-owned political process to end the external interference and the flow of arms that prolong the war and to support the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Sudan. No parallel authority can substitute for that process. In the Eastern DRC, The Washington, Doha and African Union processes are broadly aligned, and the task is to bring them into one political process under the harmonization framework led by the African Union, whose panel of facilitators travels to Kinshasa, Kigali and Goma this month. The African Union welcomes MONUSCO's verification work in support of the ceasefire and requests that the mission be enabled to support the panel's engagement on the ground. A durable ceasefire, the protection of civilians, humanitarian access, and an inclusive national dialogue remain the test of every track. In the Horn of Africa, the African Union is supporting efforts to prevent escalations in northern Ethiopia and notes the Secretary-General's statement of 23 September, reiterating the support of the United Nations for the AU's initiatives, including coordination of his special envoy with the Commission and IGAD. The gains of the Pretoria Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement must be preserved, and the two organizations must speak to the parties with one voice. In South Sudan, the heads of states of the Committee of Five Plus, meeting on 29 September, called for the full implementation of the revitalized agreement for an inclusive electoral process ahead of the elections scheduled for 22 December and for a joint AU-IGAD-UN subcommittee for preventive diplomacy and oversight of the transition. The African Union looks forward to the United Nations joining that mechanism without delay. Madam President, Somalia is the clearest test of whether this partnership can turn commitment into action. OSOM holds ground that other forces cannot hold today, and UNSOS supplies the logistics, medical evacuation, and aviation without which it cannot operate. The decision to end that support after 2026 places the mission before a 12-month drawdown. The African Union's position is that the handover must be orderly and sequenced, and that the Somali security forces will then be able to take over areas as they become ready to hold them. An abrupt withdrawal would put at risk nearly two decades of collective investment and open a vacuum that would not stop at Somalia's borders. This brings me to Resolution 2719 of 2023. The extraordinary session of the Assembly of the Union in Luanda on 30 August urged this Council to implement 2719. The Secretary-General's review of the future of peace operations calls on this Council to be ready to act under the resolution on a case-by-case basis in context identified jointly by the two organizations. And the Secretary-General briefed the Assembly that Council agreement on the resolution is essential. The joint roadmap has produced the modalities for planning, decision making and reporting, mission support, compliance and financing, which are all completed, and the scenario-based tabletop exercise to test them is in preparation. The framework is ready to be used. The three-year review that the Council committed to in paragraph 17 is due by December this year, and the African Union requests this Council to use its review to decide how the resolution can first be applied. Madam President, to conclude, allow me to reiterate the following three points. The African Union remains committed to a strong United Nations and to an international system anchored in the Charter and in collective security. Partnership retains its credibility only where commitment is mutual and results are visible. The African Union therefore looks forward to the Secretary-General's report to the 81st session under General Assembly resolution 79329 and to an updated resolution that carries the partnership forward. Second, we commend Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for what he has built with the African Union. the Joint Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, the Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda, the Joint Framework on Human Rights, the Annual Conference and its Quarterly Meetings with the A3. We encourage his successor to consolidate these frameworks to keep Africa at the heart of the organization's agenda and to act from the first day in office on the principles of African ownership, complementarity and shared responsibility. The African Union attaches particular importance to the cooperation between the African Union Peace and Security Council and this council. Third, the 11th informal joint seminar on the 20th and the 20th annual consultative meeting on 22 and 23 October should move the two councils from consultation to alignment and joint action, anchored in chapter eight of the charter. in African ownership and in the comparative advantages of each Council. And they should closely do so with an agreed communique at the end. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [53:36]: I thank Mr. Algali for his briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. I give the floor to the representative of France. France [53:49]: Thank you, Madam President. I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Paphy Onanga Anyanga, and the representative of the African Union for their statements. Over this past year, the working relationship between the two organizations has deepened in many areas. Strategically, first of all, with the partnership between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, and that was my first point. Now, technically speaking, thanks to cooperation between the UN Secretariat and the African Union Commission, and operationally through meetings of the Joint Task Force on Peace and Security. This cooperation is part of Chapter 8 of the UN Charter cooperation, and it is crucial. It warrants being strengthened to firmly support the implementation of African solutions. Madam, specific action is possible and desirable. France will play a role here very concretely. Firstly, supporting preventive diplomacy and mediation efforts of the African Union to prevent conflict and to bring peace through dialogue. The partnership between the United Nations and the African Union must draw from their complementary nature and enable the AU to fully play its role in preventing and settling crises on the continent. The UN must continue to support the AU's mediation efforts in Sudan, in the Great Lakes region, and in the Horn of Africa, where recent developments are very worrying. Secondly, the implementation of resolution 2719 of this Council. Thanks to the work carried out by the task force of the AU and the UN. This framework is very useful and is ready to be applied now. France is prepared to support the operational implementation of this cooperation framework, in particular by supporting tabletop exercises that the special representative of the Secretary General has just mentioned and that we fully support. Thirdly, we need to strengthen our cooperation in the face of common challenges, in particular combating terrorism and implementing the shared peace and security agendas on climate, women and young people. Fourthly, The achieving these actions involves supporting the financial autonomy of the African peace and security architecture. For this, France announced it was organizing an international conference on financing the AU Peace Fund to leverage funds from institutions, philanthropies and the private sector. Madam President, strengthening cooperation between the UN and the African Union should provide for a better representation of the African continent within this Council and in international bodies. We reiterated this during the Africa Forward Summit, co-organised with Kenya in Nairobi on 11 and 12 May. We reiterate that renewing our partnership with African countries must be reflected by fairer and more representative international governance. France's position here is clear. We support giving two seats to Africa as permanent members of the Security Council with the same rights as those enjoyed by the current members, including the veto right. Negotiations must start without delay on a text without are waiting for an improbable unanimity, which incidentally is not required under the UN Charter. We are continuing discussions on the partnership between the AU and the UN as part of joint seminars between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council. and they will take place under the Greek presidency on the 21st and 22nd of October. These exchanges, Madam, will be very valuable to talk about the main crises facing the continent and to think about prospects for the OSOM mission that is facing serious logistical and financial crises and warrant all of our attention. I thank you very much. Greece · President of the Security Council [58:14]: I thank the representative of France for that briefing. I will give the floor to the representative of Somalia. Somalia [58:23]: Madam President, allow me at the outset to congratulate Greece on assuming the presidency of the Council for this month. I also thank SRSU Onanga and Senior Advisor Elgallie for their valuable insights. We meet at a time when multilateral cooperation is undergoing the strain, while conflicts across Africa are becoming more complex, evolving, and interconnected. The increasingly geopolitical tension and regional spillover across African borders is compounding humanitarian needs, reversing development gains, and threatening regional stability. This reality calls for an AU-UN partnership that anticipates crises, a partnership that's adequately resourced, focused on concrete results, and reviewed regularly. In this regard, I wish to highlight the following five points. First, a credible AU-UN partnership must be accompanied by a more representative and equitable Security Council. Africa's continued underrepresentation is a historical injustice that must be rectified. For Somalia, the Zeweni Consensus and the Cirta Declaration are unambiguous. Africa must receive no less than two permanent seats with all the rights and privileges of a permanent membership, including the right to veto. A continent that occupies more than half of the issues before this Council, Africa must have a stronger voice in the decisions that affect its continent. The time to end this historical injustice is now. Second, We call for stronger support for AU-led mediation, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution. The AU Silencing the Guns Initiative, endorsed by this Council through Resolution 24/57, provides a shared framework for preventing and ending conflict in Africa by 2030. The UN must continue to deepen its collaboration with the AU through sustained political and technical support for AU-led mediation and on early warning and preventative diplomacy. Joint high-level engagement by the AU and UN, including early field joint visits, could translate shared analysis into timely action for de-escalation, ceasefires, and inclusive political dialogue. Third, The outcomes of the AU and UN reviews of peace operations provide an opportunity to produce recommendations that reflect reality on the ground and improve the capacity as well as the complementarity of both organizations to respond to current and emerging threats. These processes should align approaches and strengthen joint planning through existing mechanisms in financing civilian protection as well as transitions. Furthermore, peacekeeping drawdowns and exit strategy must be planned from the inception with host countries and TCCs and backed by adequate peacebuilding and development resources through the UN country team in order to preserve hard-earned gains and prevent the relapse into conflict. Fourth, we must translate the historic adoption of Security Council Resolution 2719 of the AU-led peace operation into effective implementation. As we enter the third year since its adoption, the upcoming review should take stock of progress and address the remaining political, financial, as well as operational challenges. These preparations should enable the framework to be activated without delay when an appropriate case secures the Council's support. Each proposed AU-led peace support operation should continue to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Fifth, and my last point, We encourage a stronger AU-UN collaboration on youth, peace, and security. This work should be guided by the AU Continental Framework for Youth, Peace, and Security and its 10th year implementation plan, alongside relevant Security Council resolutions. Young people must be treated not merely as beneficiaries, but as partners and leaders in conflict prevention, mediation, reconciliation, and peace building. The AU and should support national action plans, youth led initiatives and meaningful youth participation in decision making as essential contribution to silencing the guns. In closing, Madam President, Somalia remains committed to a partnership that respects African leadership, strengthen African capacities and provide effective African led responses to the continent's most challenging, most pressing challenges. At a time of deep global division, a stronger cooperation between the AU and the UN is not simply desirable, it is indispensable to peace and security in Africa and beyond. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:04:12]: I thank the representative of Somalia. I give the floor to the representative of Bahrain. Bahrain [1:04:19]: Madam President. At the outset, we wish to extend our sincere congratulations to the Hellenic Republic on its presidency of the Council during this month. We wish you all success. We thank Mr. Parfait Onanga Anyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary General to the African Union, and Mr. Zinawine Alghali, Senior Advisor. of the African Union. We thank them for their valuable briefings, and we appreciate their role in strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union. Madam President, today's meeting comes at a time when the African continent is facing growing challenges, which have repercussions on international peace and security. This underscores the importance of collective action, and the importance of enhancing the effectiveness of international and regional partnerships, and supporting efforts aimed at promoting stability and prosperity. In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain welcomes the signing of the strategic partnership declaration between the UN and the EU in May 2026. We share the view of the Secretary-General regarding the importance of the African Union's mechanisms and its regional initiatives to achieve peace and security on the African continent. Madam President, the Kingdom of Bahrain expresses its deep concern over the continued armed conflict and the worsening humanitarian consequences on the African continent. We condemn all attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. We stress the need to respect international humanitarian law, protect humanitarian workers, and ensure the rapid and unhindered delivery of assistance and support response to the needs of displaced persons, refugees, and host communities. The Kingdom of Bahrain also affirms that peaceful solutions and dialogue remain the optimal path toward conflict resolution and achieving sustainable peace. while respecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of states and preserving national ownership of peace processes. The Kingdom condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We stress the importance of strengthening regional and international cooperation to address the threat of terrorism, particularly in the Sahel region, through building national capacities, information sharing, and through early warning mechanisms. The Kingdom further stresses the importance of enhancing cooperation to protect maritime security and preserve the safety and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions. Given the vital importance of the Strait of Hormuz the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Red Sea maritime routes to international trade and supply chains. Maintaining the security of these waterways contributes to regional stability, strengthens energy and food security, and ensures the continued flow of humanitarian and relief assistance to the areas most in need. Madam President, the Kingdom of Bahrain values the role of the trilateral mechanism among the UN, the AU and the Security Council, as well as the continuous coordination efforts between the UN and the AU through the UN Office to the AU. We also welcome the outcomes of the 27th consultative meeting of the joint UN-AU Task Force on Peace and Security. We also welcome the outcomes of the annual the 10th annual conference between the AU and the UN and the practical steps resulting there from to strengthen cooperation in conflict prevention peace building and supporting the effective implementation of resolution 2719. we look forward to the informal interactive dialogue and the 20th annual joint consultative meeting between the members of the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council later this month. The Kingdom of Bahrain will continue to support cooperation between the United Nations and the AU to contribute to consolidating security, stability, and prosperity and development for the peoples of the African continent. I thank you, Madam President. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:09:18]: I thank the representative of Bahrain, and now I give the floor to the representative of the United States. United States of America [1:09:25]: First of all, thank you, Madam President, and congratulations to you and your team on assuming the presidency for this month. I also want to thank the briefers. The United States appreciates your leadership and your cooperation. Coordination and partnership between the UN and AU can help achieve peace, security, and prosperity in Africa. With UN, AU, and regional peace operations active in some of the most fragile parts of Africa, we have a shared interest in ensuring our doctrine, policies, and directives afford effective cooperation. We agree with the Secretary General on the collective need to focus on ensuring the partnership is mutually reinforcing, more responsive, and more effective for the people they serve. The crisis in Sudan, insecurity in the Sahel, and the situation in eastern DRC underline this point. On Sudan, we continue to call for an immediate end to the senseless violence and to support a humanitarian truce. At the same time, we welcome and support the efforts of the UN and the AU as integral members of the Quintet to coordinate an inclusive political dialogue for the Sudanese people. We continue to consider all ways to support these efforts, including through an expansion of the Darfur arms embargo to cover all of Sudan. Turning to the DRC, both the AU and UN should continue to facilitate the U.S. and Qatar-led peace processes to resolve the persistent conflict and bring prosperity to all. On the Sahel, the United States condemns in the strongest terms terrorist attacks, including by drones, conducted in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. AU-UN cooperation and African leadership are critical to addressing a multitude of challenges faced by the people of West Africa and the Sahel. We, as the international community, have a vested interest in countering terrorism and the threat it poses to the global community. On peace and security in Africa more broadly, UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for UN financing of Security Council-authorized AU-led peace support operations, can be a potentially useful tool. The deployment of a peace operation under 2719 will strengthen the AU-UN partnership and leverage the AU's comparative advantages to addressing conflicts in Africa. Any such peace operation should be small, time-bound, and have clear objectives. We will continue to evaluate on a case-by-case basis where 2719 might be most effectively applied. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:12:20]: I thank the representative of the United States, and I now give the floor to the representative of China. China [1:12:29]: Thank you, President. At the outset, I congratulate Grace on assuming the presidency of the Security Council this month. The Chinese delegation assures you of its full cooperation with you and your colleagues. I would also like to take this opportunity to commend France for its work during its presidency last month. I thank SRS G. Onanga and the representative of African Union for their briefings. Africa has vast territory, rich resources, and hardworking people. With a strong economic growth momentum and accelerated efforts to seek strength through unity, Africa is becoming an important pole with global influence. The UN-AU partnership is a model of multilateral cooperation and has played a vital role in promoting peace, stability, and development in Africa. The world is witnessing intertwined changes and turbulence of protracted geopolitical conflicts, widening development gaps, and a growing number of global challenges. African countries need the sustained support of the UN and the international community as they work to silence the guns and explore modernization paths befitting their national conditions. I wish to make three points in this connection. First, it is imperative to seek political solutions to hotspot issues and jointly promote peace and stability in Africa. In recent years, Africa has been grappling with the complex and intractable tensions in the Horn of Africa, recurring conflicts in the Great Lakes region, and the prominent issue of violent terrorist activities in the Sahel region. The international community should support African solutions to African problems, encourage African countries to uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security and resolve differences through dialogue and consultation. It should help African countries enhance their own security capacities, support the operationalization of Security Council Resolution 2719, and increase funding support for AU-led peace operations. It should fully respect the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of African countries and play a constructive role in promoting regional stability, mutual trust, and cooperation. China supports the Security Council and AU-PIC in seizing the opportunity of annual consultations to jointly explore effective ways to cease hostilities and violence and achieving lasting peace and stability on the African continent. Second, it is imperative to scale up investment in Africa's development and boost its prosperity and revitalization. We should always place development at the center of UN-AU cooperation, support closer alignment between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the UN and the AU's Agenda 2063, increase input in key areas such as poverty reduction, food security, energy transition, education, healthcare, employment, and livelihoods, and eradicate the breeding grounds for conflicts at the source. Developed countries should earnestly fulfill their commitment to development financing and climate financing. and stop improper practices such as cutting out funding, which should help African countries strengthen their AI capacity building, bridge the digital divide, and support Africa in achieving sustainable development at a faster pace. Third, It is imperative to reform and improve global governance and to support Africa's self-reliance and self-strengthening. Africa has about one quarter of the countries in the world and one fifth of the global population, making it an important emerging force in shaping global governance. China has consistently advocated for redressing the historical injustices done to Africa and enhancing its representation and voice in international affairs. The international financial architecture needs to be reformed and improved to better reflect the evolving global economic landscape. It is essential to eliminate the negative impact of the legacy of colonialism on Africa, oppose such acts as interference in internal affairs, the abuse of sanctions, and the plundering of resources, uphold the international rule of law, fairness, and justice, and make the global governance system more just and equitable. President, This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. Over the past seven decades, no matter how the international landscape has evolved, China has always taken Africa as a priority of its diplomacy and always stood firmly with African countries. The friendship between China and Africa surmounts mountains and oceans and grows stronger with time. The peoples of China and Africa had worked together in good and hard times, writing a magnificent chapter of solidarity and cooperation of the Global South. President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, all of which have received positive responses and broad support from African countries. Since the beginning of this year, China has fully implemented the zero-tariff treatment for all African countries having diplomatic relations with China and rushed to Africa's aid to help combat the Ebola outbreak. The China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges has featured a wide variety of activities, and new steps have been taken in building the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. China stands ready to continue working with all parties to support strengthened UN-AU cooperation through concrete actions and to help Africa better achieve peace and development. Thank you, President. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:18:11]: I thank the representative of China, and I now give the floor to the representative of Latvia. Latvia [1:18:19]: Thank you, Madam President. Let me first congratulate Greece upon assuming presidency in October and wish you all success. You can count on my delegation's support and full cooperation. I also wish to use this opportunity to extend our appreciation to the French delegation for their leadership and outstanding steering of the Council's work last month. I thank SRS G, Parfait Onanga, and the representative of the African Union for their briefings. The UN-AU partnership already rests on strong frameworks, established channels, and concrete examples that work. And our task now is to build on them, make the partnerships more operational, and turn momentum into progress. So let me highlight three points, Madam President. First, We should make full use of the tools already at our disposal. And we welcome the continued implementation of the joint UN-AU framework for enhanced partnership in peace and security. The Security Council must leverage the strategic value of regional arrangements under Chapter 8 of the UN Charter. The Secretary-General's peace operations review points in the same direction. stronger global regional partnerships, and more networked peace operations grounded in comparative advantage and local contexts. There is no one-size-fits-all model, and we should decisively advance the implementation of the resolution 2719 and make full use of its potential. Where the AU and UN jointly identify relevant contexts, the Security Council should be prepared to act proactively. In conflict settings, where the AU or sub-regional organizations are leading political efforts, we should hear from them directly and more regularly. And the same logic applies beyond Africa as well. Second, such cooperation is already visible in some of the most acute situations before us. In Sudan, Latvia strongly supports the Quintet and its efforts to advance an inclusive, Sudanese-owned political process. We see clear value in the Security Council adding its collective weight to these efforts, building on the support already expressed by the AU Peace and Security Council. In South Sudan, the engagement of the AU and Special Envoy Yakaya Kikwete alongside UNMISS demonstrates the value of coordinated regional and international engagement. With elections scheduled for December, the Security Council should reinforce the regional call for conditions conducive to a peaceful, credible and inclusive political process anchored in the revitalized peace agreement, and our collective objective must be to prevent a return to large-scale violence. In Somalia, We recognize the extraordinary commitment of the African Union and the sacrifices made by the African peacekeepers over many years. That commitment deserves an equally serious collective effort. The upcoming AUPC and UN Security Council joint consultative meeting is an opportunity to work towards a solution for OSOM that is both realistic and effective, including its future financing and support arrangements. Third, Our partnership must also advance priorities that cut across country situations. Women, peace and security must remain at its core, from women's full, equal and meaningful participation in political and peace processes to preventing and eliminating sexual and gender-based violence, as well as ensuring accountability for these crimes. In this context, Latvia welcomes the trilateral UN-AU-EU cooperation in the Great Lakes region, where the three special envoys recently convened on the margins of the UN General Assembly, a high-level event on women's meaningful participation in peace efforts in Eastern DRC. We must also take climate-related peace and security risks seriously. Collectively, we should move from recognition to implementation integrated climate risks into early warning, prevention, mediation efforts, and mandates of peace operations. African leadership is crucial in this regard, both because the continent is directly affected and because practical responses are already being developed and implemented on the ground. This year comes with an additional test. As El Nino intensifies, it is increasing the risks of extreme weather events that can worsen food insecurity and displacement in already fragile settings, strain humanitarian responses, and complicate the implementation of peacekeeping mandates. Anticipatory action is crucial to limit the impact. Madam President, in a few weeks, the annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the EU AUPSC will give us an opportunity to build on these examples. I have hopes that both councils will engage constructively, speak with a strong joint voice, and be able to adopt an outcome document for our substantial partnership to grow into more practical, coherent, and effective action. Thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:23:48]: I thank the representative of Latvia, and now I give the floor to the representative of Colombia. Colombia [1:23:58]: I'd like to thank the presidency for convening this briefing and the briefers for their valuable presentations. And I would like to congratulate Greece on assuming the presidency of the Security Council, and we wish you every success in your functions. Madam President, Colombia recognizes the strategic value of cooperation between the UN and the African Union in promoting international peace and security. Given the growing complexity of conflicts in Africa, as well as their serious humanitarian consequences, continuing to strengthen this cooperation and achieving concrete results in conflict prevention and resolution is not only desirable but necessary. For Colombia, regional organizations make an essential contribution to the work of the Security Council. Their proximity to local dynamics, their knowledge of the context, and their capacity for dialogue constitute comparative advantages that complement the work of the United Nations. Since the adoption of the Security Council presidential statement number 27 in 2014, cooperation between the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council has intensified. Nevertheless, Africa continues to experience a growing number of conflicts that are increasingly complex and carry greater risks of spillover and expansion into different regions. Therefore, Colombia calls for the strengthening of the effectiveness of this cooperation, ensuring that it translates into concrete results in the areas of prevention, mediation, and the search for political solutions to these conflicts. Regarding this issue, I will highlight four essential elements. Firstly, Prevention and the pursuit of political solutions must occupy a central place in cooperation between the UN and the African Union. This work must begin long before a crisis requires a response from the Security Council. Therefore, early warning, good offices, mediation and preventive diplomacy are fundamental tools for anticipating and preventing the escalation of conflicts. Therefore, Colombia calls for ever closer coordination between the representatives and special envoys of both organizations, as well as for the timely exchange of information. It is necessary to make use of the complementary capacities of both organizations to identify risks, prevent crises and promote sustainable political solutions. My country supports all mediation and good offices efforts led by the African Union and trusts in their effectiveness in preventing or avoiding the escalation of conflicts. Secondly, Colombia highlights the importance of leadership and ownership by African countries. In this regard, responses to peace and security challenges must be developed with the effective participation of the countries and organizations of the region, for example. Colombia recognizes the role being played by the African Union within the framework of the Sudan Quintet mechanism in mediation efforts and in promoting a political solution led by African actors themselves. Chapter VII of the Charter provides a solid framework for this cooperation. A closer relationship between both councils can contribute to more coherent, timely, and effective responses, while at all times preserving the primary responsibility of this Council for the maintenance of international peace and security. Thirdly, Colombia emphasizes the value of resolution 2719 of 2023. and we encourage us to continue progress in joint planning, support for missions, as well as mechanisms for compliance and the protection of civilians. An effective partnership requires strong mechanisms for planning, coordination, and accountability. In this context, Colombia welcomes the recent advances in institutional cooperation between the two organizations, including the strengthening of cooperation in the areas of operational support and the exchange of knowledge and experiences. These efforts constitute a solid foundation for further deepening this cooperation. And finally, Madam President, we highlight the efforts of both the United Nations and the African Union to strengthen their cooperation in preventing and combating terrorism in the region. In a context of increasing convergence between transnational organized crime and terrorism, as well as the use of new technologies by these groups, Colombia encourages both organizations to prioritize and deepen their joint work in this area in support of the security and stability of the African continent. To conclude, Colombia will continue to support a partnership between both councils based on complementarity, trust, and a results-oriented approach, one that recognizes regional leadership, strengthens multilateralism, and effectively contributes to peace and security in Africa. Thank you very much. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:29:00]: - of Colombia. And now, we give the floor to the representative of Liberia. Liberia [1:29:07]: Thank you, Madam President. We thank the briefers for their valuable insights. Excellencies, Africa does not need another catalogue of crises. It needs a partnership capable of preventing the next one. That must be the purpose of our discussion today. Across our continent, terrorism and violent extremism unconstitutional changes of government, armed conflict, climate-related pressures, and humanitarian crises are converging. Sudan alone has become the world's largest displacement crisis, with some estimated 11.3 million people forcibly displaced since the conflict began. And while global terrorism declined in 2025, sub-Saharan Africa remains its epicenter, with six of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism located in my region of the world. These are not separate emergencies. They are warning lights on the same dashboard. For Liberia, therefore, the message is simple. The United Nations-AU partnership must move from cooperation by circumstance to partnership by design. Madam President, Liberia speaks from experience. Our own journey from war to peace demonstrated what becomes possible when national ownership regional leadership, and international solidarity reinforce one another. The United Nations stood with Liberia. ECOWAS stood with Liberia. The African Union stood with Liberia. And Liberia stood up. That experience taught us an enduring lesson. Peace is strongest when it is nationally owned, regionally anchored, and internationally supported. That lesson should inform our partnership today. First, Prevention must become the first investment, not the last resort. The African Union possesses valuable continental and sub-regional early warning capacities. The UN possesses global reach, political weight, and convening power. We should connect these capabilities before a crisis becomes a conflict. Early warning is useful only when it leads to early action. We must move from warning systems, therefore, to response systems. The latest Secretary-General's report on the UN-AU partnership, issued in August, reinforces the importance of stronger coordination and prevention. We therefore encourage more systematic information sharing between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. including earlier engagement when warning signs emerge. Second, Resolution 2719 must move from architecture to implementation. The Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2719 back in 2023. establishing a framework for AU-led peace support operations to access UN-assessed contributions on a case-by-case basis. This was an important step. But a framework on paper cannot protect a civilian in danger. Predictable financing must become predictable capacity, supported by clear mandates, credible oversight, accountability, respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and realistic political strategies. Third. We must stop treating peacekeeping and peacebuilding as separate chapters. The moment a peace operation begins, the conditions for its eventual exit should already be taking shape. Institutions must be strengthened. Justice must be accessible. Communities must have a voice. Women and young people must have a meaningful place in political life. The objective cannot simply be to end a war. It must be to make a return to war less likely. Fourth, regional ownership and accountability must advance together. African leadership in this regard is indispensable, but regional ownership must never mean regional impunity. The authority of the African Union is strengthened when institutions uphold constitutional order, protect civilians, respect human rights, and enforce accountability. Sovereignty is not merely the authority of a state. Sovereignty is also the responsibility of that state to protect its people. Fifth, our response to terrorism must be broader than the battlefield. Terrorist groups exploit ungoverned spaces, porous borders, illicit financial networks, and legitimate grievances. military force, therefore, may contain a threat, but it cannot, by itself, eliminate the conditions in which that threat grows. We need stronger intelligence sharing, border cooperation, countering of terrorist financing, judicial capacity, and community resilience, while protecting humanitarian space and avoiding measures that stigmatize the very communities whose cooperation is essential. Excellencies, the forthcoming consultations between this Council and the AU PSC should produce more than just another communique. They should produce deliverables, stronger early warning cooperation, earlier preventive diplomacy, clearer implementation of Resolution 2719, more systematic consultations on mandates, and measurable follow-up on decisions already taken. Liberia stands ready to contribute in those regards. We believe the future of the partnership should not be defined by who acts first, the United Nations or the African Union. It should be defined by how quickly we act together. Let us therefore build a partnership in which African leadership is matched by international solidarity, in which early warning triggers early action, in which peacekeeping opens the door to peacebuilding, and in which predictable commitments become predictable results. In closing, Madam President, let's be clear. Africa is not asking the world to solve Africa's problem for Africa. Africa asks for a partnership that enables African leadership to succeed. That is not merely solidarity. It is shared responsibility, which this Council has for the maintenance of international peace and security. Thank you for your kind attention. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:39:56]: I thank the representative of Liberia and now give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation. Russian Federation [1:40:06]: Madam President, we'd like to thank the briefers for their reports. Russia welcomes the broad strengthening of the strategic partnership between the UN and the African Union and supports the work of the UN Office to the AU in Addis Ababa, which inter alia provides the relevant bodies of the AU with important expert support in drafting benchmark documents in various areas to strengthen peacekeeping capacity of the AU. At the moment, Africa, as before, is facing challenges in ensuring lasting peace in the continent. Solving these challenges is not possible without eradicating the root causes of conflicts. These mostly include poverty, underdeveloped economies and infrastructure, intercommunity and ethnic clashes, and the actions of numerous terrorist groups. Moreover, it's clear that the root causes of the conflicts in Africa do not date back to the 21st century. Experience in Italy and Africa shows that most conflicts are the legacy of colonialism, of a system which violated the natural historic path of peoples in the continent and centuries old way of lives, and arbitrarily carved up borders and imposed an economic order focused on the interest of the colonial powers. we still see different forms of neocolonialism, interference in the internal affairs of countries and pressure imposed by unilateral sanctions that further entrench countries in poverty and stoke social tensions and destabilization. A glaring example of this is the situation in Libya, where a very wealthy country is now in a permanent crisis state as a result of intervention by Western states, the collapse of the Libyan statehood, brought in its wake the destabilization of the whole Sahara-Sahel region, a growth of terrorism, and a heightening of problems and tensions there. The interference of European countries in regional affairs, unfortunately, did not stop there. Today, we see this in the territories of the Confederation of Sahel States. A negative role by external players is something we see in Sudan and in the DRC and in other hotspots as well. The tragic legacy of colonial era should not remain unnoticed. In this context, we note the efforts of the AU that took a decision to declare the year of justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. We fully support the work of the African Union, including within the UN, to combat the legacy of colonialism and neocolonialism. On the 25th of March, 2026, Russia voted in favor of the adoption of a historic GA resolution 80/250, the declaration of the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity that was presented by Ghana on behalf of the African group. An important outcome of the joint work of Russian and African representatives within the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter was the adoption on its initiative during the 80th session of the UNGA on 5 December 2025, the adoption of a resolution declaring 14 December the International Day to Combat Colonialism in all its forms and manifestations. Furthermore, fundamentally, our approach to settling crises in Africa remains unchanged. The leading role in determining the path forward for settling African crises belongs to the regional players, the Africans themselves. The collective aim of the UN is to provide comprehensive support to these efforts without imposing on national governments any blanket solutions from the outside. We to discuss African subjects in the Security Council, and of particular importance is the position here of the A3 and also the work constructively of host countries with full respect for their sovereignty. We support further strengthening partnership between the UN Security Council and the AU, Peace and Security Council, including through its annual joint events. The next round is on the 22nd to 23rd of October in New York. The basis of cooperation is the recognition of the primary responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of peace and security, and the complementarity of UN and AU efforts in tapping into their comparative advantages. We commend the contribution of the African Union in settling crises in different areas of Africa, and also its mediation efforts. The Russian Federation, as before, supports the work of the AU Mission to Stabilization and Support in Somalia, AUSSOM. Its staff, in good faith, carry out their noble duty, restraining the action of extremists in the Horn of Africa and protecting civilians from the threats from al-Shabaab. We note the efforts of the AU to ensure the financial stability of the mission. inter alia through the AU Peace Fund. We are open to further work in the UN Security Council on AUSSOM's mandate to develop Security Council resolutions 2719, 2767, 2809 in West Africa. We note the efforts of the Chairperson of the African Union from Burundi and the chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Souvet from Djibouti, in establishing cooperation between the AU and the Confederation of African States participants. We believe there is no alternative to the AU playing a leading role in bringing settlements in Sudan and South Sudan. The work carried out by the high level ad hoc committee for South Sudan is particularly important, headed up by Cyril Ramaphosa. We bank on its leading role of Africans and the mediation efforts on Sudan and disputed Abyei. Without the active involvement of the African Union, its diplomacy making progress in long-term settlement in the protracted and bloody conflict in the Eastern DRC is not possible. We welcome the peacekeeping efforts of the Council of Ministers of Togo Chairperson and the group of mediators from the AU. We are convinced that it is precisely the balanced African decisions that can create conditions for overcoming the root causes of the crisis and can provide a qualitative change to the situation in the Great Lakes region. Russia, from our side, will continue to provide support to our friends in strengthening their anti-crisis capability and in settling conflicts and shoring up the sovereignty of their countries. Russia and Africa are natural allies in strengthening the objective historic trends of forming a multipolar world. In this regard, in terms of UN Security Council reform, our country has consistently advocated for expanding the representation of Africans in that body. Our firm commitment to expanding multifaceted cooperation with Africa is our long-term choice. This was front and center at the first Russia-Africa summit in Sochi in 2019 and also at the second summit in St. Petersburg in 2023. The third Russia-Africa summit that will take place in Moscow on the 28th and 29th of October will bolster this trend. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:48:06]: I thank the representative of the Russian Federation, and now I give the floor to the representative of Panama. Panama [1:48:16]: Thank you, Madam President. Allow me at the outset to thank France for the presidency, its presidency of the Security Council during the month of September, as well as for its wise and effective leadership of the Council's work. We particularly commend France's efforts to foster dialogue, facilitate the search for common ground, and contribute to the smooth functioning of the Council. We also congratulate the Greek delegation on the beginning of their presidency of the Security Council, and wish you every success in carrying out your responsibilities. We appreciate the convening of this briefing and acknowledge the valuable presentation and contributions of the Secretary-General, as reflected in his report. We also thank the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the African Union, Parfait Onanga Anyanga, and the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Aduye, for the information that they have shared. Madam President, Panama values the cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union and the progress achieved in strengthening it. This cooperation is an essential component of the collective efforts that are aimed at conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding. The African continent contributes mediators, peacekeeping contingents and indispensable experience to international peace and security. recognizing that contribution requires a partnership of equals in which African leadership has meaningful influence in decision-making. Sovereignty, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for international law are essential guarantees of coexistence. Based on this conviction, we believe that cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union should enable us to listen better, act earlier, and uphold the commitments that have been made. Madam President, the Secretary-General's recent review on the future of all forms of peace operations reaffirms the strategic value of regional and global partnerships in addressing current challenges. In this regard, we consider it fundamental to consolidate the potential of Security Council Resolution 2719 and advance in its implementation in accordance with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. As the recent review notes, peace operations are tools in the service of political solutions. Their effectiveness is therefore closely linked to sustained political support and the availability of the resources necessary to accompany efforts aimed at ending conflicts. Cooperation between the two organizations should prioritize early warning of conflicts, mediation, national ownership, and timely action by the Security Council, creating space for preventive diplomacy before crises deepen. Sudan provides a concrete illustration of the importance of such coordination. The quintet comprising the United Nations, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, and the European Union has sought to support interregional efforts toward a political solution to the conflict. The Quintet's recent visit to Khartoum reflects the value of coordinated diplomacy and sustained engagement. Panama considers it essential that these efforts continue with a view to achieving an early cessation of hostilities, greater humanitarian access, and the creation of conditions conducive to a political process. In the Great Lakes region, we support the African Union mediation led by Togo and its coordination with the Washington and Doha processes. This convergence should lead to a verifiable ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the implementation of Resolution 2773. We propose closer coordination among mediators, regional verification mechanisms, and MONUSCO in accordance with our mandates. Every commitment requires responsible actors, timelines and follow-up. In the Horn of Africa, tensions among Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt require urgent action. We support the African Union Commission's call of 1 October for maximum restraint and dialogue. We must preserve diplomatic channels and support African good offices before the opportunity for a negotiated solution narrows. In Central Africa, the repercussions of the war in Sudan on Chad and the Central African Republic require support for host communities and closer cooperation between UNOCA and the Economic Community of Central African States. Their knowledge of conditions on the ground should be what guides early warning efforts and mediation. Madam President, we commend efforts to advance the women, peace and security and climate, peace and security agendas led by the African Union, both of which are essential pillars that should be integrated into every joint undertaking. Panama welcomes the recent launch of the African Union Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security's Strategic Plan 2026-2028. Evidence from peace processes is clear. When women are included and participate meaningfully, agreements are better able to reflect the realities of communities and are more likely to endure over time. Panama also recognizes the importance of strengthening the partnership between the African Union and the Peacebuilding Commission, particularly in supporting the national priorities of African countries within their development agendas, which are intrinsically linked to the maintenance of regional and international peace and security. Madam President, During this month, the members of the Security Council will once again have the opportunity to deepen dialogue with the African Union Peace and Security Council. We are confident that this exchange will allow for substantive discussion of some of the principal peace and security challenges facing the African continent and will further strengthen coordination between the two bodies. In line with the Secretary-General's observations, this collaboration constitutes one of the most important expressions of multilateral cooperation. The complementarity offered by the partnership between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations is invaluable in its scope. It helps build the confidence of populations, which is so critical to strengthening institutional legitimacy and to promoting more effective cooperation. Our own history has taught us just how important it is for a region to be heard and for its rights to receive international support. With that same respect, we must support African solutions. Thank you very much. Greece · President of the Security Council [1:56:39]: I thank the representative of Panama, and I give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Democratic Republic of the Congo [1:56:46]: Madame President, the Democratic Republic of Congo would like to congratulate Greece for presiding the Security Council for this month of October. We would like to wish you every success as you carry out your term. My delegation takes notes of the exhaustive briefings presented this morning by His Excellency, Mr. Phe Onanga Anyanga, Special Representative for the Secretary General to the African Union, and Mr. Zunurine Angali, on behalf of Mr. Bankole Adeoye, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Madam President, Africa is facing an overlapping amount of crises that cannot be addressed separately from the Sudan to the Sahel, from the Horn of Africa to the Great Lakes. Conflicts, terrorism and institutional fragility are sorely testing the stability of the continent. Diagnosing these crises highlight several therapies that need to be administered substantially by this Council, in particular in its mission for maintaining international peace and security. To this end, the UN-AU partnership must now move from talking about mechanisms to concrete actions, from response to prevention, and from commitments to results. This is fully within the spirit of Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter. This is not only a legal framework for cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations. It is also something that contains a idea of multilateralism based on the complementary nature of efforts. It brings decisions closer to the realities on the ground. to pool the capacities of our institutions and to lend full support to collective action for peace. This in particular is a lesson that we can learn from the experience of the Democratic Republic of Congo, given the mediation efforts conducted under the auspices of the AU and the convergence sought between the different peace processes. Lasting peace must be built, however, on the respect for the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states. No peace process that is viable can legitimize an armed aggression, an illegal occupation of territory of a state or external interference in the affairs of a state. This political exigence is accompanied by an economic reality. The illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources fuel and prolong numerous conflicts in Africa. In the DRC, as elsewhere in Africa, natural resources should not serve to finance conflicts. When they are exploited and commercialized illicitly for armed groups or criminals, they fuel violence and instability. The link between natural resources and conflicts, therefore, must be fully integrated into the prevention architecture and the peaceful settlement of disputes mechanisms of the UN and the African Union. This question is something that is the focus of the both councils and will be indeed during their consultations in October. because it has been well and truly established that the management of natural resources can be a factor of exacerbating conflicts. For the DRC, things are clear. Natural wealth and richness in Africa must finance development of its peoples and not conflicts and not destabilize it. We're therefore calling for bolstered tracing in supply chains, income transparency and cross-border cooperation while ensuring that combating illicit networks involves all actors who directly or indirectly profit from these chains. This must respect the sovereignty of states and their development choices, while recognising that no policy for lasting peace can ignore the economic interests that underpin conflicts. Madam President, my delegation has taken note of the Secretary-General's report of the 17th of August 2026. This report highlights something very specific. The UN and the African Union have developed joint means for planning and decision making for African operations with a joint exercise planned to test these. Therefore, the framework exists. Now we need the political resolve to implement it. This is behind resolution 2719. This resolution must not just be a principle framework, it must become a fully operational instrument for our collective responsibility in the area of peace and security in Africa. It has established a clear mechanism on a case by case basis, allowing African operations, peace support operations authorized by the Security Council to access contributions of the UN. Therefore, it is now up to us to make this commitment a reality with predictable, lasting, and appropriate financing. Progress made in joint planning and joint operations preparations must be accompanied by true political resolve to implement this. The credibility of our UN-AU partnership will precisely be measured by our ability to translate this decision of the Council into concrete means on the ground. Africa cannot be asked to further shoulder its responsibilities without having the necessary means to do so. Prevention must also become our first line of defence: early warning, mediation, preventive diplomacy and tackling the root causes of conflicts. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, therefore, is calling for a new stage in the UN-AU partnership, a stage of convergent action and shared responsibility, strengthening coordination between the two councils, ensuring that their decisions are followed up on, making financing mechanisms operational, and putting prevention and political settlement at the heart of our shared action. All this is crucial. Africa is not asking for the international community to act in its place, but for it to act with it in true partnership, consistently, responsibly, and whilst respecting international law. This type of partnership must also be reflected in the governance of international peace and security systems. Africa cannot be at the center of the Security Council's agenda whilst remaining on the outskirts, so to speak, of its governance. African crises play a significant role in the work of the Council, and African states have to shoulder increasing responsibility in preventing and settling them. However, their representation within the Security Council remains insufficient. The Democratic Republic of Congo reaffirms to this end its full support for the common African position. enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Siirt Declaration, two permanent seats for Africa with all the prerogatives attached to that, including the veto right, and two non-permanent additional seats. This reform meets a requirement for historic justice, but also the need to make the Security Council more representative, more legitimate, and more effective. A better represented Africa will be in a better position to contribute to decisions that directly affect the peace and security of Africa and, over and beyond that, international peace and security. It's in this spirit that this partnership, embodied by Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, is there. This partnership should not just be limited to principled commitments; it must be reflected in actions. It's by transforming our political solidarity into decisions that are followed by an impact that we will give multilateralism its credibility back, and we will give the African people peace based on sovereignty, justice, and responsibility. This goes hand in hand with true African ownership of its solutions. It should ensure that African wealth stops fuelling conflict and rather becomes a lever for peace and development. Madam President, a decade of increasing partnership between the United Nations and the African Union has helped us to really consolidate its foundations. It is now up to us to ensure that this architecture truly thrives by strengthening prevention, the coherence of our action, and the means that Africa has to contribute to bringing about its own peace. It is important to keep in mind that the value of this partnership will be less measured by how many mechanisms we've been able to establish, but rather by the crises that we've been able to prevent and the conflicts that we've helped to bring an end to and the peace that we have made sustainable. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [2:07:08]: I thank the representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo. And I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan. Pakistan [2:07:17]: Thank you very much, Madam President. I congratulate you on assuming the presidency and assure you of my delegation's full support and cooperation. I also wish to commend France for steering the Council last month. I thank SRSG Parfait Onanga Anyanga and the representative of the African Union for their briefings. Pakistan continues to regard the United Nations-African Union partnership as one of the most important expressions of cooperation under Chapter VIII of the Charter. Its institutional architecture has matured considerably. Regular engagement between the two councils, monthly interaction between their presidencies, consultations between the secretariat and the African Union Commission, and growing cooperation between special representatives and envoys have created channels for sustained political and operational coordination. The challenge before us now is to translate this cooperation into greater political coherence and concrete results on the ground. The Secretary-General's report makes clear that Africa's peace and security landscape is becoming more complex. Conflicts are more protracted, terrorism is expanding, External interference is intensifying, and multiple mediation tracks are not always producing sustainable outcomes. These trends underscore the need for responses that are grounded in regional realities, enjoy the confidence of the countries concerned, and are shaped with the full participation and leadership of African institutions. In this context, African ownership must remain central. This is particularly relevant in Sudan and eastern DRC, where several diplomatic processes are operating simultaneously. These efforts must complement each other. The African Union, the United Nations, and relevant subregional organizations should work towards coherent political strategies, with implementation and follow-up at their core. Madam President, Pakistan continues to attach particular importance to the role of the A3 in bringing Addis Ababa and New York and ensuring that African perspectives are effectively reflected in the Council's work. Pakistan has consistently sought to coordinate its positions on African files closely with the A3 and the country concerned. Madam President, Resolution 2719 must now move from framework to implementation. Considerable technical progress has been made on joint planning, mission support, financing, compliance, and protection of civilians. What is required now is the political will for implementation. Pakistan supports adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing for AU-led peace support operations. AU-SOM remains essential to Somalia's security transition, yet operational and financing constraints continue to affect its effectiveness. Pakistan pays tribute to the African countries contributing troops to AUSSOM and welcomes the growing role of the AU Peace Fund. Genuine burden-sharing by the wider international community remains indispensable for effective working of AUSSOM. Finally, the UN-AU partnership must cover the full peace continuum: prevention, mediation, peace operations, peacebuilding and counter-terrorism. African institutions possess valuable experience and proximity to the threats facing the continent, particularly in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and Horn of Africa. Their perspectives should increasingly inform the Council's deliberations. As we approach the next annual consultations between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, Pakistan believes the priority should be clear: move from frameworks to implementation, and from declarations of African ownership to its practical realization. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [2:11:24]: I thank the representative of Pakistan. I give the floor to the representative of Denmark. Denmark [2:11:31]: Thank you, Madam President. As this is the first formal meeting of October, allow me to warmly congratulate Greece on assuming the presidency and thank France for their steadfast leadership throughout the busy month of September. Let me also thank SRSG Onanga Anania and Senior Advisor Alghali for your valuable insights and for demonstrating the depth of this important partnership. Africa faces multiple crises, latest with tensions in the Horn of Africa. From combating terrorism to ending armed conflict, ensuring inclusive peace mediation and protection of civilians, many efforts need joint action from UN and AU. I will make three points. First, When conflict responses are tailored to the specific conflict dynamics, they are more likely to sustain peace. To achieve this objective, coordination between the AU and the UN is key. As a long-standing partner of both the AU and the UN, Denmark fully supports the work enabling stronger and more cohesive connections between our organizations. In this regard, the work of the UN Office to the AU is crucial in building bridges between Addis and New York. That includes increasing collaboration on peace support operations, conflict prevention, mediation, and the joint use of good offices, as well as efforts on women, peace, and security, and climate, peace, and security. This partnership can and should continue to deepen. Second, Madam President, we encourage continued collaboration between the AU and the UN on country and subregional situations. In Somalia, the AU Support and Stabilization Mission plays an important role in addressing insecurity. Similarly, we recognize the importance of the transition of security responsibilities to Somali National Security Forces. Denmark encourages the AU to work with TCCs, the Federal Government of Somalia and the UN on the future direction of the AUSSOM in this context. In Sudan, Denmark welcomes the close AU-UN collaboration aimed at supporting an inclusive political process. In this regard, we fully support the Quintet's effort to advance a civilian-led political process. Across the Sahel, the threat of terrorism continues to spread. To counter this scourge, Denmark stresses the importance of regionally-led efforts, including collaboration between the AU, UN and ECOWAS. We further support the efforts of the AU Mission for Mali and the Sahel and the AU High Representative to convene and lead dialogue on the region's security challenges. Madam President, my third point. For peace support operations to be effective, they need ownership, resources, partnerships, and political will. We welcome the AU and UN collaboration to support predictable financing of AU-led peace support operations and the progress made on preparations for the implementation of Resolution 2719. Three years after this landmark adoption, its potential remains untapped. Denmark is committed to supporting African-led efforts and remain ready to consider the potential use of Resolution 2719 in a specific context. We encourage the AU and the UN to work towards identifying and informing this Council of concrete situations where the resolution could come into effect. In closing, Madam President, the strength of this partnership lies not only in our shared commitment to peace and security, but in our ability to translate that commitment into effective action. This Council's upcoming meeting with the AU Peace and Security Council provides an important opportunity to do just that, to deepen this commitment and, importantly, to discuss concrete and joint initiatives to support peace in Africa. Denmark looks forward to engaging constructively and actively to this end. I thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [2:15:18]: I thank the representative of Denmark. And now I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [2:15:25]: Thank you, Madam President, and congratulations to Greece on assuming the presidency of the Council this month. And my thanks also to the French delegation for their leadership through the month of September. My thanks to SRSG Onanga Ayanga and the representative of the African Union for their briefings. At a time of deepening conflict and insecurity across parts of the continent, the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union is indispensable. As the Secretary General's report makes clear, conflicts are becoming more complex. Terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government, external interference and climate pressures are undermining stability and increasing humanitarian need. They also risk holding back the progress and opportunities that exist across the continent. I make three points. First, we welcome the deepening cooperation between the UN and the AU on peace and security, and we look forward to welcoming the AU Peace and Security Council to New York later this month. Regular engagement between our two councils, closer links between headquarters, and better coordination in the field can make our collective efforts more than the sum of their parts. That means identifying risks earlier, strengthening prevention and mediation, and resolving disputes before they escalate, with all the human and financial costs that follow. The United Kingdom is backing that partnership in practice. We have long supported permanent African representation in the Security Council, and practically, through our 25 million African Union partnership programme, we are supporting AU mediation and the UNDP-AUC African facility to support inclusive transitions, helping states to navigate complex political transitions. Second, we can see the value of this partnership in some of the continent's most pressing crises. In Somalia, AU forces have made great sacrifices, supported by the UN, to advance stability alongside Somali and other forces. In the past year, the United Kingdom has provided 16.5 million pounds of direct support to AUSSOM, along with an additional 8.5 million pounds to the UN trust fund, enabling logistical support for Somali security forces. As we look forward to Somalia's continued security transition, urgent and realistic coordination between Somalia, the African Union, troop contributing countries, and the UN will be essential to protect hard-won gains. In Sudan, cooperation through the quintet is supporting an inclusive Sudanese-led political process. Closer coordination between the UN and the AU fact-finding missions is helping to strengthen accountability and to avoid duplication. In northern Ethiopia, close UN-AU cooperation is essential in responding to the current escalation. And in eastern DRC, AU mediation and UN peacekeeping efforts complement the Washington and Doha processes. These examples show us what partnership can deliver. The same is true of joint work on climate security, women's participation, security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and counterterrorism. Third, the United Kingdom was pleased to support resolution 2719, which established a landmark framework for UN support to AU-led peace support operations. The UN and AU have made important progress in operationalizing that framework. We now need to maintain momentum so that the necessary tools and mechanisms are ready when required, with robust oversight and human rights and financial compliance standards in place. President, a stronger African Union working in partnership with a stronger United Nations is essential to meeting the continent's most pressing peace and security challenges. Thank you. Greece · President of the Security Council [2:19:23]: I thank the representative of the United Kingdom. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Greece. Thank you, colleagues, for your kind words. Now, I would like to speak in my national capacity. I'm particularly pleased that we are beginning our month with a discussion focused on Africa. And we will do our utmost to make it a productive month for strengthening our partnership with the continent. Greece is connected to Africa not only by history, but also by geography, by the presence of a centuries-long Greek community across the continent, and longstanding trade and economic ties. This close interconnectedness gives us a natural interest in further deepening our cooperation with our African partners. Let me also thank our briefers, Special Representative, Bafeo Nanga-Nyanga, and the representative of Banco La de Oye, Mr. Al Ghali, for their valuable contributions today. The Secretary-General's report and the briefers' insight we have just heard are clear. The UN-AU partnership is stronger and more institutionalized than ever. The question before us is whether we are using it effectively to prevent conflict, support African-led solutions, and deliver results on the ground. The adoption of the General Assembly resolution 79/329 last year, which Greece supported, gave renewed political impetus to this partnership. reaffirming the need to further enhance its strategic and operational dimensions. Our task now is to translate these commitments into effective cooperation on the ground. Against this backdrop, I would like to highlight three priorities where Greece sees scope for further action. First, prevention, political solutions and peacebuilding must remain at the heart of our partnership. Across Sudan, the Eastern DRC, Somalia, and the Sahel, security approaches alone cannot deliver sustainable peace. The UN and AU should continue to leverage their respective comparative advantages in prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding in close coordination with subregional organizations. The A3 group remains an essential bridge between African perspectives and the Security Council, and Greece welcomes its important contribution to our deliberations. In this spirit, Greece will always welcome strong African participation in the Council and other multilateral fora. Strengthening this political dialogue is precisely the purpose of our regular interaction with the AUPSC. We very much look forward to hosting the annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the AUPSC later this month, following the informal joint seminar and retreat. These exchanges should help us move towards more coherent, coordinated and timely responses to the conflicts and crises on our shared agenda. Second, we must move from commitments to the implementation of AU-led peace support operations. Greece attaches particular importance to the full operationalization of Security Council Resolution 2719. The progress made in developing modalities for joint planning, mission support and the protection of civilians is welcome. The next step must be to ensure adequate, predictable and sustainable financing for AU-led operations authorized by the Council. The case of AU-SOM highlights both the indispensable role of African-led peace support and the consequences of persistent resource constraints. We should therefore continue working towards the effective implementation of Resolution 2719, including its case-by-case framework for access to UN-assessed contributions, while strengthening the AU's own capacities and accountability mechanisms. This calls for closer tripartite coordination among the UN, AU, and EU building on the complementarity of our respective tools and capacities in support of peace and security in Africa. Third, our partnership must remain people-centered and responsive to emerging dimensions of peace and security. We welcome the progress made by the African Union towards finalizing its common African position on climate change, peace and security, which can provide an important continental framework for addressing climate-related security risks and strengthening prevention, early warning and resilience. We also welcome the appointment in February of Ambassador Jayna Bajne as the first African Union Special Envoy for Children Affected by Armed Conflict. This is an important step towards stronger continental leadership on the protection of children in conflict, and we look forward to further strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in this area, including on prevention and early warning. More broadly, We should continue to ensure the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women, as well as the meaningful participation and leadership of young people in conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and peace support efforts. The strength of UN and AU partnership lies ultimately not only in the institutions and mechanisms we have created, but also in our collective ability to translate political commitments into concrete action. Greece remains committed to strengthening this partnership in support of African-led solutions, stronger multilateralism, and lasting peace and security across the continent. I thank you. I resume my function as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.