Excellency Chairperson of the PRC, Ambassador Professor Miguel Cesar Domingos Bembe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola
Excellencies, Ambassadors Members of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee or their representatives,
Distinguished heads of AU Organs and Specialized agencies,
Distinguished representatives of RECs
Esteemed colleagues of the African Union Commission
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with a great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I address the 50th session of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee today and deliver this statement on behalf of His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

His Excellency is regrettably unable to be with us this morning due to urgent commitments requiring his immediate attention. He conveys his warmest regards to all present and expresses his full confidence in the successful deliberations of this important session. He reaffirms his unwavering support for the work of the PRC and extends his sincere appreciation for your continued dedication to the mission and ideals of our Union.

It has now been just under three months since the new leadership of the Commission took office and assumed the responsibilities entrusted to us by you, the Member States.

These first months have been marked by intense engagement and reflection with you, member states, aimed at consolidating trust and reinforcing collaboration between the Commission and Member States. This engagement has focused on several strategic priorities, including peace and security, accountability and transparency, sustainable financing of the Union, implementation of policy organs’ decisions, strengthening relations with our Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, and addressing the challenges related to human resources and advancing the finalization of the SACA process.

At the same time, and based on an initial period of observation, we have worked with departments within the Commission and AU Organs to enhance synergies and alignment to ensure the effective delivery of our mandates. We have engaged with Commissioners and Directors to rationalise travel and missions, and to optimise the efficient use of our limited resources—focusing on the implementation of strategic priorities aligned with the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063.

Our engagement has also extended to all our partners to strengthen partnership and multilateralism, and to mobilise resources for peace and security on the continent. Most recently, the Commission actively participated in the AU-EU Ministerial meeting and continue to prepare to support the successful conduct of the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) starting tomorrow, as well as the TICAD and AU-EU Summits due to take place in the second half of the year.

The Commission also continues to strengthen its relations with the United Nations and, amongst others, will actively engage in and support our Member States at the upcoming 4th Forum on Financing for Development. As a member of the G20, the Commission is committed to enhancing its internal capacity and coordination to ensure that the African Union fully assumes its role within the Group.

Excellencies,
This initial period of the tenure of the new Commission has also been marked by an effort to identify areas that have caused concerns both to Member States and internally. There are critical areas that will require actions for change. Change that will necessitate our joint and collaborative efforts and enhanced dialogue and communication.

The proposed PRC-AUC retreat later this year will, I believe, provide an excellent opportunity in that regard.

Excellencies, Distinguished Member of the PRC,
The agenda before us requires our collective wisdom and commitment as we consider the strategic and operational matters raised by various PRC Subcommittees and Specialized Technical Committees. I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation on behalf of H.E Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the Commission and myself to the Chairs of various PRC Subcommittees and Specialized Technical Committees for their leadership, dedication and professionalism in guiding the work of their respective Subcommittees and in formulating concrete proposals and recommendations to address the Union’s strategic and operational matters to be placed before the Executive Council in July.

We all agree that better coordination between PRC and its Subcommittees is very critical for the proper planning of meetings, avoiding parallel sessions, timely circulation of working documents and strong collaboration in implementing Policy Organs decisions. In this regard, I would like to sincerely appreciate His Excellency Ambassador Miguel Bembe, for his leadership in presenting the draft document on the revitalisation of the working methods of the Policy Organs of the African Union.

It is my great hope that the deliberation on the Chair of the Union submission will guide us to come up with concrete proposals that ensure efficient organisation of meetings, timely submission of documents, effective utilisation of our limited resources and orderly and smooth functioning of Policy Organs in line with their respective Rules of Procedure. In other words, to rationalize our work and improve our efficiency.
Excellencies, Distinguished members of the PRC,

Our continent stands at a critical crossroads. The promise of its vast natural resources and young population has yet to be fully realized. We face global economic volatility, debt challenges, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which require bold and coordinated responses.

We must accelerate efforts to deepen the AfCFTA, stimulate industrialization, and drive innovation-led growth

Therefore, strengthening relations between the Commission and our Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) is a key priority of our leadership. In this respect, I would also like to share with you that the Chairperson has had the honour of convening the Coordination Committee Meeting of the African Union Commission with the Executives and Secretary-Generals of the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) on 14 May 2025. This high-level consultative meeting served as a critical platform to ensure strategic alignment and synergy in preparation for the upcoming 7th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.

The discussions were focused and constructive, centering on the refinement of the implementation of Agenda 2063, clarification of roles, and harmonisation of priorities among the AU and the RECs/RMs. The goal was to strengthen coordination, avoid duplication, and reinforce our shared commitment to the principles of subsidiarity, complementarity, and comparative advantage principles which underpin the institutional architecture of the African Union.

Through this engagement, we reaffirmed our collective resolve to present a coherent and unified continental agenda that advances the objectives of Agenda 2063, with particular attention to the 2025 theme on Justice and Reparations for Africans and People of African Descent. I am confident that the outcomes of the Coordination Committee Meeting, as well as your deliberations, will significantly contribute to a well-structured and impactful Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, serving as a decisive moment to advance Africa’s integration, development, and unity.

Excellencies,
In light of the forthcoming Executive Council being dedicated to the adoption of our budget, I would like to recall that, in June 2015, our Heads of State and Government adopted a historical decision on Financing of the Union. Rooted in the core Pan African values of self-reliance, the Assembly set ambitious targets for member states: to cover 100 per cent of operational budget, 75 per cent of program budget, and 25 per cent of peace support operations to establish a reliable and predictable financing mechanism for the Union.

Further, a year later, in 2016, our leaders adopted the important decision on the institution of a 0.2 per cent Levy on all eligible imported goods into the Continent to finance the African Union operational, program and Peace Support Operations budgets.

Ten years later, though progress has been made towards covering 100 per cent of the operational budget from Member states’ assessed contributions, we are lagging in achieving the Johannesburg targets of financing 75 per cent of the program budget and 25 per cent of peace support operations. To date, only 17 Member States have implemented the Kigali Decision on the Levy.

As Your Excellencies will recall, over the past five years, the African Union’s approved budget has experienced a negative growth rate of 6 per cent, despite the establishment of new organs and the expansion of its mandates. Although Member States’ contributions have been capped at US$250 million since 2019, actual assessed contributions have consistently fallen short of this ceiling. This decline has significantly constrained the AUC’s capacity to effectively implement the decisions of the Policy Organs.

Similarly, the limited budget has restricted the recruitment of essential staff in accordance with the approved structure of the Commission and constrained our abilities to implement strategic priorities.
Moreover, it has delayed critical renovation and maintenance activities for AU properties and assets, some of which date back to the 1990s. This has compromised structural functionality, posed institutional and operational risks, and led to increased budgetary costs. The limited budget has also significantly hindered the effective implementation of security and safety standards.

Statutory meetings of AU Organs have been adversely affected by the austerity measures, which directly impact the implementation of their mandates. The ongoing SACA process has further strained our delivery capacity and negatively affected staff morale, which remains our most critical resource.

This situation has resulted in heavy reliance on partners’ funds for implementing our programs and staff recruitments, thereby impacting our financial independence.

As the new leadership of the AUC, this is the reality we are faced with. It is also a reality that we are committed to improving through joint efforts with Member States.

Therefore, I would like to seek the guidance of Member States on the immediate way forward and suggest the initiation of a reflexion on this critical issue of the financial sustainability of our Union and its impact on our operations.

As an immediate measure, I would like to suggest that each draft decision be accompanied by its financial implications in order to inform the commitments taken by Member States by their adoption.
Excellencies, Distinguished members of the PRC

Reparations for historical injustices remain a critical and long-overdue issue for the African continent and its diaspora. By adopting the theme of the year, the African Union acknowledged the urgent need to confront these legacies and advocate for meaningful redress. Justice for Africans and people of African descent is not only about compensation but also about recognition and the restoration of dignity.

Despite some challenges, since taking office, the Chairperson and I have made efforts to advance this agenda by amplifying African voices in global discourse through our several engagements, notably through the Africa Dialogue Series hosted by the United Nations Special Office for Africa and the most recent EU-AU Summit. These efforts are aligned with broader goals under Agenda 2063, which envisions an Africa where justice and human rights are upheld, and historical wrongs are addressed through inclusive, transparent, and sustained action.

The African Union’s success depends fundamentally on our unity and collective will. Justice and reparations demand that we act decisively to address historical inequities and build an Africa that is economically sovereign, socially just, and politically united.

As you undertake this important work and consider the decisions to be made or proposed to the Executive Council, please be assured that you can continue to rely on the full support of the Commission and our wholehearted commitment to our collective mission.

I wish you fruitful deliberations.