Addis Ababa, 29 January 2021: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had a telephone conversation today. They took the opportunity to exchange views on ways to enhance the strategic relationship between the United States of America and the African Union. In this respect, the Chairperson Faki reiterated his congratulations to the Secretary Blinken and the Biden Administration for reaffirming their attachment and commitment to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement, as one of their first decisions upon taking office.

Secretary Blinken emphasised the importance of the relationship with the African Union for the Biden Administration and conveyed his intention to deepen cooperation and revitalise the strategic US-AU partnership. Secretary Blinken further commended the African Union’s continental response to the Covid19 pandemic and its coordination by the AU public health emergencies agency, Africa-CDC.

The Chairperson and the Secretary of State agreed to work together in order to deepen multilateralism through international cooperation in general, and reinforce the Strategic AU-USA Partnership on matters pertaining to Peace and Security, Climate Change, Global Health Security, Democracy and Trade, in particular.