Addis ababa: African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres, and French President Emmanuel Macron have affirmed their commitment to promoting African solutions to crises and supporting the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations. The leaders aim to develop collective and sustainable responses to the challenges of peace, security, and development in Africa.

According to Libyan News Agency, the discussions took place during informal consultations at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. The leaders addressed several African and international issues, emphasizing multilateralism as a fundamental framework for addressing challenges related to peace, security, sustainable development, climate, and global economic fragility.

The leaders emphasized the importance of reforming the international governance system to ensure more equitable and inclusive representation, particularly within the UN Security Council. They stressed the need to strengthen African representation in line with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

The leaders reaffirmed the need to enhance international support for African efforts in conflict prevention, mediation, and peacekeeping operations. They noted that Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) represents a significant advancement in the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations on peace and security issues.

They also highlighted the importance of effectively implementing the resolution to ensure sustainable and predictable funding for African peacekeeping operations while maintaining the Security Council's primary responsibility for international peace and security under the UN Charter. The leaders agreed to organize simulation exercises to test the mechanisms for implementing the resolution.

Additionally, the leaders agreed to work towards organizing an international conference in Paris before the end of 2026. The conference aims to mobilize private sector resources for the African Union Peace Fund in support of the continent's priorities in peace, resilience, and development.

In discussing the situation in the Middle East, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, such as respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and the peaceful settlement of disputes. They expressed concern about the economic, food, and energy repercussions of conflicts on African countries, especially regarding hydrocarbon and fertilizer supplies.

The leaders called for strengthened international solidarity with Africa to mitigate global instability's impact on the continent's food security. They agreed to explore African-led emergency measures to support the most vulnerable countries facing disruptions in global fertilizer markets.

The French side indicated that these issues would be addressed during discussions on the global economic situation at the G7 summit scheduled for June in Evian, France.