AU Commission Chairperson and UN Secretary General on African issues ahead of 69th UN General Assembly

New York, USA 21 September 2014 – African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met on Sunday 21 September 2014, to discuss critical issues on Africa ahead of the opening of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma and Mr. Ban Ki-moon will co-chair a number of sessions including those on climate change, Special Summit on Somalia, and a review session of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework of the Great Lakes, amongst others

They discussed the need to enhance finance and mobilisation of medical personnel needed to step-up the fight against Ebola virus disease affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. They agreed to coordinate the various initiatives and also to increase awareness-raising efforts to address the psychological challenges and misperceptions around the disease.

Together with UNSG, World Bank Group and African Development Bank Presidents, the AUC will continue joint visits similar to that carried out in the Sahel region.

Climate change and elections in Africa were also discussed as well as the specific situations in South Sudan, Guinea Bissau, Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. JEE/wzm

Media Contact:
Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson African Union Commission
Email: EnohebenJ@africa-union.org; Cell: +1 202 751 8517