New York, 21 September 2025 – The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, concluded a series of high-level engagements at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, underscoring the AU’s commitment to advancing multilateral cooperation in pursuit of peace, security, and sustainable development.
The Chairperson and his delegation were received by the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), H.E. António Guterres, for a bilateral meeting held within the framework of AU–UN cooperation. Discussions focused on shared strategic priorities, including reform of the UN Security Council, reform of international financial institutions, preventive diplomacy, peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan, funding for AU-led peace operations, debt relief, climate financing, food security, and reforms to the global trading system.
Both leaders reaffirmed their determination to work in solidarity to advance these priorities. They underscored Africa’s potential to drive its own growth, while stressing the urgency of addressing Africa’s unsustainable debt burden, the need for a just international financial architecture, fairer credit ratings, and enhanced access to climate finance. The Chairperson reiterated Africa’s disproportionate vulnerability to climate shocks despite contributing the least to global emissions, calling for increased financing for climate adaptation, loss and damage, as well as a fairer and more inclusive global trading order.
This bilateral meeting preceded the sixth trilateral meeting of the African Union, the United Nations, and the European Union (EU), held on the margins of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week.
AU–UN–EU Trilateral
The Chairperson engaged with the Secretary General of the UN, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council António Costa.
The trilateral discussions placed particular emphasis on conflict situations across Africa:
On Sudan, the three organizations called for intensified support to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustainable political solution.
On the Sahel, they pledged stronger coordination in addressing instability and advancing reconciliation and development.
On Libya, they endorsed the UN roadmap to revive the political process and urged greater efforts to respond to migration challenges in line with humanitarian standards.
On the DRC, they welcomed ongoing peace initiatives and reiterated support for both AU and UN Security Council-led processes.
On Somalia, they underscored the importance of sustainable financing for the AU Support and Stabilization Mission to ensure effective operations.
Global Priorities and Partnerships
Looking ahead, the AU, UN, and EU committed to deepening their trilateral partnership to support African-led solutions to peace and security challenges, guided by Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also noted ongoing preparations for the upcoming AU–EU Summit in Angola this November.
Financing was highlighted as a central priority, with leaders calling for full implementation of the Sevilla Commitment to unlock investment, alleviate debt burdens, and reform multilateral development banks. They further underscored the urgent need for ambitious commitments on climate action at COP30 in Brazil later this year, noting the severe impact of climate-induced disruptions on vulnerable communities.
Marking the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security, the three organizations reiterated their commitment to advancing women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding efforts.
At the conclusion of the trilateral meeting, the AU, UN, and EU reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism as the most effective means to address today’s global challenges, stressing full adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and expressing concern over rising disregard for international humanitarian law and human rights.
