S/PV.8627 Security Council

I wish to warmly welcome the Ministers, our briefers and the other representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Their presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Egypt to participate in the meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in the meeting: Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary- General; and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite Mr. Jean- Christophe Belliard, Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Political Director for the European External Action Service, to participate in the meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2019/743, which contains the text of a letter dated 13 September 2019 from the Permanent Representatives of Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, the Russian Federation and South Africa to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept note on the item under consideration. I now give the floor to Ms. Viotti. Ms. Viotti: I thank the Russian Federation for organizing this meeting on peace and security in Africa. Collaboration among the United Nations, the African Union and its member States, Africa’s regional economic communities and other regional mechanisms has never been greater. Our partnership is underpinned by shared values, enshrined both in the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, as well as by the principles of complementarity, respect and African ownership. In 2016, the African Union Peace and Security Council identified 20 challenges to peace and security. But what stands out today are not the challenges that the continent faces. Rather, it is the determination of African Heads of State and Government to address them in a holistic manner. In 2013, they pledged, “not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans and to undertake to end all wars in Africa by 2020”. In July in Niamey, the African Union Assembly adopted “Silencing the Guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development” as the theme for 2020. That speaks to an increasingly strong partnership among African States members as the cornerstone for advancing peace and security, underpinned by inclusive sustainable development on the continent. The African Union and its States members have achieved important milestones in their pursuit for a higher level of effectiveness, self-reliance and cooperation. The African Union Peace Fund has so far secured $124 million — the highest level of assessed contributions since its establishment in 1993. And the African Union Mediation Support Unit and the FemWise Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation are now operational, boosting capacity to defuse crises and making such efforts more inclusive. The United Nations and the African Union have also strengthened their partnership with the signing of two joint frameworks by the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union, namely, on peace and security and on sustainable development. Partnership has been evident at the country level in peace processes and the lives of people. Close coordination among the Southern African Development Community, the African Union, the United Nations and other partners supported dialogue and reconciliation in Madagascar and thereby contributed to the holding of peaceful, free, fair and credible elections in 2018. In the Central African Republic, the African Union led a mediation process, with support from the United Nations and involving the Economic Community of Central African States and neighbouring countries. That process culminated in African Union-led peace talks in Khartoum and resulted in the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic of 6 February. The United Nations is now actively supporting its implementation, including through the Peacebuilding Fund, with a focus on top priorities of the Government and partnering with civil society. In Guinea-Bissau, the group of five comprised of the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the European Union continues to assist efforts to restore stability and sustain peace. In the Sudan, the signing of the constitutional declaration last month, following efforts led by Ethiopia and the African Union with support from the United Nations, has allowed for the establishment of a civilian- led transitional Government. Partnering with African civil society is also bearing fruit, and the progress achieved in nations such as Liberia and, more recently, Guinea-Bissau and the Sudan shows us the critical contributions made by women to peace and stability. Beyond geography, the thematic areas of partnership are extensive and diverse. Cooperation among the United Nations, the African Union and subregional organizations is also growing in the area of electoral processes. Ahead of legislative and presidential elections in West Africa over the last couple of years, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel organized joint or coordinated visits with various African partners to Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal and other countries to promote peaceful and inclusive processes. The United Nations is helping to implement the recommendations of a study conducted by ECOWAS and the Economic Commission for Africa to address challenges related to pastoralism and security in West Africa, with support from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The United Nations and the African Union cooperate closely to ensure that the voices of women and youth are integrated within peace processes. Next year will mark the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. It coincides with the 2020 goal on gender mainstreaming in peace and security of the African Peace and Security Architecture — an opportune moment for reinvigorating resolve. Both the African Union and the United Nations have in place youth strategies and envoys. They are valuable not only as advocates, but also as agents for change in our organizations. In Central Africa, the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa is working closely with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) to develop and strengthen its capacities, including with regard to conflict prevention, mediation, early warning, collaboration with civil society and gender mainstreaming. And the alignment between the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and the African Union strategy in the region has enhanced collaboration in response to the multifaceted challenges facing the region, including through the Ministerial Coordination Platform for the Sahel, co-chaired by the African Union and the United Nations. Partnerships among subregional organizations are also intensifying. The United Nations Regional Offices for Central Africa and West Africa are supporting the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed between ECCAS and ECOWAS last year. Notwithstanding the progress achieved, the international community needs to support African efforts more effectively. The United Nations continues to work closely with the mediation teams of the African Union, the subregional organizations, Member States and civil society groups. Institutional capacity needs to be further strengthened to be able to undertake preventive diplomacy. Central to the United Nations support for peace and security on the African continent are our peace operations. More than 80,000 peacekeepers currently serve in seven peacekeeping operations in Africa. In fact, in terms of personnel and budget, all of our largest missions are deployed on the African continent. Contributions from African nations themselves have been indispensable to our peacekeeping operations, not only in Africa but also beyond. Africa is now the largest troop-contributing region to United Nations missions, and there is direct cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations on peacekeeping operations themselves. In Somalia, Mali and the Sahel, the United Nations supports African Union-led operations, in addition to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. However, we can and have to do better. The Secretary-General has stressed the need to ensure the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing for African Union-led peace support operations authorized by the Security Council and under the Council’s authority. Political will and resources are also required in peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts, including through support for infrastructure for peace at the local and national levels and policy dialogue with the Peacebuilding Commission. It is also important that the international community actively support the Silencing the Guns by 2020 initiative of the African Union. The Council has already signalled its strong backing in resolution 2457 (2019). The Secretariat, as well as United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, is scaling up support for realizing the objectives of the African Union initiative. Building partnerships and harnessing their power requires long-term vision and commitment. Collaboration between the African Union Commission and the Secretariat will remain strong. The Secretary- General looks forward to even greater partnership and collaboration, enabling the African Union to achieve its 2063 vision of equitable, people-centred transformation and lasting peace and security.

I thank Ms. Viotti for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Faki Mahamat.

I would like to begin by addressing you, Mr. President, to thank you and your Government for organizing this important meeting on the state of peace and security in Africa and partnership to strengthen regional peace and security. Peace in Africa is undergoing significant changes. We have finalized the preparation of a well-engineered peace architecture with relatively effective organs. In the interest of harmony and coherence, that architecture has combined the efforts of our regional organizations — the pillars of our African Union — with those of the Union itself. On a doctrinal level, that architecture reflects a foundation of shared values, coordinated around the double principle that African problems must be solved by Africans themselves and that the cost of so doing should be borne, to a large extent, by Africa’s own resources. It is on the basis of that double principle that the African Union has proposed here in the Security Council and beyond an original model to fund African peacekeeping operations. While the overarching duty of Africa is to bear responsibility for a significant part of that funding, that cannot in any way relieve the Security Council, the sole organ truly responsible for peace in the world, of its obligations to provide funding for those operations from the appropriate resources of the universal Organization. That issue is today at the heart of peace and security concerns in Africa. The factors threatening peace in Africa make it urgently important that we develop innovative approaches to considering such factors and the best ways and means to effectively respond. The traditional mechanisms for responding to threats to peace, peacebuilding and peacekeeping no longer fully correspond to the new situation. Terrorism in all its forms and illegal trafficking of all kinds are unmanageable through the former models. The costs, bureaucratic red tape, ways of functioning and operational and tactical redeployment methods of those models make them — to be frank — unsuitable, ineffective and obsolete. A new model endowed with a legal, political, financial and operational mechanism that is better adapted to the social, cultural and religious context of African societies must be conceived. The African Union has repeatedly reiterated its full readiness to work with the United Nations, and the Security Council in particular, towards the desired doctrinal and operational progress. I have come today to reiterate Africa’s continued readiness in that regard. The panorama of peace in Africa highlights some indisputable success stories. The normalization of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic through the implementation of the agreements concluded under the auspices of the African Union; the significant progress made towards peace and reconciliation in South Sudan; and a certain level of positive stabilization against terrorism in Somalia and the Lake Chad area are noteworthy. The latest addition to that series of achievements is the significant success of African mediation in the Sudan, which paved the way towards a peaceful and consensus-based democratic transition in the country. Progress towards peace in Africa must not, however, hide the weaknesses and, above all, the darker realities that continue to cast shade on the overall outlook. In the Sahel, the efforts of the international community to contain and eradicate terrorism are not yet producing the expected results as the phenomenon continues to grow and threaten regions beyond northern Mali alone. The countries of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) have therefore joined forces and decided to pool their resources in order to provide the appropriate responses. The support of the Security Council is essential in that regard. I take this opportunity to reiterate my calls for real and effective solidarity with those countries, since their fight against poverty and the cancer of that region, terrorism, are concerns worthy of the most active international solidarity. Any weak point in that desired solidarity, regardless of the pretext, would facilitate the spread of the terrorist hydra, which, at least in the Sahel, has been fuelled by the fragmentation of another African crisis. By way of conclusion, I will say a few words on the crisis in Libya. The Libyan crisis has been marked from the very beginning by the frustrating marginalization of Africa, which has been replaced by a plurality of external actors, each of which is pursuing its own agenda, as everyone knows. In less than a decade, that way of addressing the Libyan issue has revealed the full extent of its limitations as the crisis continues to deteriorate and the suffering of the Libyan people only persists. It is time to stop that infernal, senseless process. The Security Council and Africa have an obligation to collectively reconsider that situation and experiment with another way. First, we must clearly decide that there is no military solution to the crisis. Rigorous enforcement of the embargo on weapons — which continue to proliferate throughout the country and allow those waging war to continue to do so by financing their weapons from Libya’s own resources — is therefore a matter of extreme urgency. We must then engage in a process of genuinely inclusive and revitalized political negotiations in order to outline a democratic and consensual transition capable of dealing with humanitarian emergencies and the organization of free and transparent elections, which are the foundations of true political legitimacy in that country. That objective is easy to formulate, but complicated to achieve. It requires a joint implementation mechanism — with emphasis on “joint” — to take the lead. In the establishment of that new joint mechanism, it is crucial that we underscore the central role of Africa in an issue that is just as African as any other on our continent, in which the continental organization has demonstrated its own competence, knowledge, experience and expertise. The centrality of the African Union is not a matter of ego or self-importance. It is a matter of common sense and the quest for efficiency and concrete results. To implement it, the African Union, which has no specific agenda, is seeking only collective action based on respectful partnerships and not a substitute for taking orders or clearing one’s conscience. It is a matter of working together, on the basis of common values, in the sole and unique interest of peace, reconciliation and democracy in Libya. In such a joint effort, we will give specific content to our partnership with the United Nations, in accordance with the framework agreement signed in April 2017 here in New York.

I thank Mr. Mahamat for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Today’s meeting, organized by the Russian Federation, together with the African members of the Security Council, reaffirms the special place that African issues occupy on the Council’s agenda. Ensuring peace and security on the continent is of the utmost importance for the entire international community. The African continent today is facing many challenges. The region with the highest population growth in the world remains unstable. Some of its countries are facing acute political and socioeconomic crises. Conflicts between nations and ethnic groups remain unresolved, which is often exploited by terrorists. There are hotspots of activity of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Qaida and their affiliated local groups, such as Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and other groups, are now found throughout the continent, from Mali to Somalia. We must not forget the tragic history of the continent. As a result of their uncompromising struggle for freedom and independence in the 1960s, African peoples have been able to determine their own future. A key role in the decolonization process was played by the adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, at the imitative of my country. Nevertheless, since then African States have continued to face serious challenges to their sovereignty. The armed intervention in Libya launched by NATO eight years ago plunged the country into chaos, undermined the security system in North Africa and fuelled flows of arms and criminals throughout the continent. Libya became a refuge and platform for various kind of terrorism, in addition to fighters coming from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. The States of the Sahara and the Sahel are also suffering. The security of West and Central African countries, as well as that of Southern European, is threatened. Africans themselves, at the recently held meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council dedicated to foreign military presence on the continent, condemned foreign military interference in the continent’s affairs and appealed for foreign partners of Africa to respect regional initiatives. Recent successes in resolving crises, in spite of everything I mentioned earlier, show how effective efforts can be when led and undertaken by Africans themselves. Comprehensive peace agreements have now been signed and implemented in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Thanks to very brave and responsible steps taken by leaders in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti, the situation in the Horn of Africa has improved. In such large countries as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, we have seen peaceful and democratic elections take place. I believe that the most important fact here is that at the core of each of these achievements was the political will of the leaders of the African States themselves, with the assistance of the African Union and subregional organizations. Against the backdrop of such progress, the ambitious goal set six years ago to end armed conflict in Africa is no longer beyond reach. The attainment of that goal is being helped by the creation of the African Standby Force within the continent’s peace and security architecture. The African Union Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development is now operational and African Union conflict-prevention efforts are also being enhanced by leveraging the potential of regional bodies and the good offices of African leaders. At the same time, Africans still require stalwart support from the international community, including the Security Council. We believe that there is significant potential to increase the interaction between the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. A good opportunity for pursuing such cooperation is provided by the regular consultative meetings between the two Councils, the next of which will be held next month in Addis Ababa. There is also cooperation between the secretariats of the United Nations and African Union, from joint missions to conflict areas to the participation of African Union experts in preparing reports and country reviews, which serve as important guidelines for the Security Council’s decisions. In our view, it is entirely justified that the Security Council pay close attention to the issue of sustainable financing for African Union peacekeeping operations. We note the progress made in the replenishment of the African Peace Fund, indicating the determination of African leaders to assume their share of the expenses for African peacekeeping operations. Of course, the predictability, reliability and flexibility of funding such operations should be enhanced, and we in the Russian Federation are ready to work substantively on the corresponding draft resolution to be prepared for our consideration by the troika of African members of the Security Council. Russia also supports other initiatives of the African troika in the Council relating to peace and security on the continent. We believe that the African troika is a crucial link between our Council and the African Union. Russia provides assistance to uphold peace and security in Africa in accordance with international law, including the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and only with the agreement of host countries. Such assistance is aimed at building countries’ own capacities to deal with crises. We attach great importance to providing training programmes for peacekeepers from African and other developing countries. This month, another course began in the training academy of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, tailored specifically to African policewomen. We continue to provide bilateral military and law-enforcement training programmes and to extend military and technical assistance. Over the past 18 months in the Central African Republic, Russian instructors have trained more than 3,000 military personnel for the armed forces of that sovereign State. With the knowledge of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), we have already supplied two batches of Russian weapons to meet the needs of the Central African Republic, with the final delivery arriving this month. Effective armed forces are only one aspect of ensuring national security. Eliminating the root causes of conflict requires us to address the acute socioeconomic issues of the countries of the region and the strengthening of their State institutions. It is particularly important to train African specialists with a broad spectrum of expertise. Russia is expanding the practice of providing fellowships and free training for Africans in medicine, education, advanced technologies, transport and other civilian areas of expertise. The first Russia-Africa Summit, to be held in Sochi in one month’s time at the initiative of President Putin, will herald a new chapter in our relationship with the continent. We expect that the Heads of State or Government of almost all countries of the continent will attend, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Mahamat, and the leaders of subregional organizations. The agenda will cover a broad range of issues, from maintaining peace and security to socio-economic development. We expect the Sochi Summit will contribute to the overall normalization of the situation in the African region. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Côte d’Ivoire.

At the outset, I congratulate the Russian Federation on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September and thank it, on behalf of Côte d’Ivoire, for agreeing to co-organize, with the African members of the Security Council, this briefing on the subject of “Peace and security in Africa: Partnership for strengthening regional peace and security”. This choice of theme is of highly significant and reflects our common concern regarding the need to identify the ways and means to forge sustainable responses on matters of peace and security in Africa. The enlightening briefings by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General lead us towards the same alarming conclusion that there is a disturbing deterioration in the security situation in Africa in general, and in the West African subregion in particular. This situation calls for urgent and concerted responses from regional organizations, focused on strong and mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with all bilateral and multilateral actors. Such partnerships, however, will allow us to our objectives only if based on a common understanding of the local and regional dynamics that fuel insecurity and instability. To cite just few, these include poverty and unemployment, which serve as incubators for the expansion of cross-border criminal networks, violent extremism and terrorist armed groups; vulnerabilities related to political and institutional governance; and weak regional and subregional peacekeeping capacities. Before they spill over and generate regional repercussions, crises originate within States. If it is to be effective, our partnership actions must therefore focus first and foremost on supporting national strategies to fight poverty and unemployment, thereby strengthening States’ resilience to crises. Côte d’Ivoire therefore welcomes the consensus among the international community on this essential requirement, as reflected by the launch in 2018 of the United Nations Support Plan for the Sahel, covering the period 2018-2030, in order to step up efforts and accelerate the growth of prosperity in the Sahel; the launch of the Sahel Alliance, with commitments totalling approximately €7.5 billion; and the adoption by the Group of Five for the Sahel of a priority investment programme with a portfolio of 40 core projects targeted at ensuring better balance and strong links between development and security. In our view, all these initiatives would benefit from better coordination under the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, so as to avoid duplication of effort and make the best use of resources. Building the capacities of regional institutions and subregional mechanisms in the areas of conflict prevention and peacebuilding is equally essential. In that regard, the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security is a model of cooperation for peace and security, in keeping with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. As for the West African subregion, Côte d’Ivoire wishes to highlight the high-quality cooperation between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, which facilitates preventive diplomacy, builds State resilience and supports peacebuilding. I would also like to express my country’s support for the productive partnership between the pan-African organization and the European Union. We take note of the European Union’s important role in financing the African Peace and Security Architecture — a structural, long-term response mechanism for addressing threats to peace and security on the continent. Moreover, Côte d’Ivoire urgently calls for improving the early warning capacities and the proactive crisis response of the African Union and ECOWAS, as a core pillar of partnerships for regional peace and security. My country sees the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network and AU Continental Early Warning System as relevant tools for strategic monitoring, identifying nascent conflicts and formulating rapid responses at the local, national and subregional levels. In the ECOWAS region  — which, in the past four years, has seen more than 2,200 attacks that have killed an estimated 11,500 people and displaced thousands  — that commitment has taken on a new dimension, as reflected in the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, held in Ouagadougou on 14 September. Without prejudice to existing security initiatives that have experienced funding difficulties, ECOWAS Heads of State and Government decided to pool their resources and coordinate their efforts to combat terrorism and transnational organized crime. The Ouagadougou Summit adopted an action plan that will be financed by internal resources of up to $1 billion. While insecurity and instability in Africa in general, and West Africa in particular, are exacerbated by local dynamics, we must recognize that external shocks such as the Libyan conflict have, since 2011, contributed to the proliferation of weapons, transnational criminal networks and terrorist armed groups. Côte d’Ivoire therefore calls for a strengthened partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, which will undoubtedly contribute to identifying a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis through an inclusive and credible political process. Threats to peace and security are a regional security issue, with repercussions that extend far beyond African borders. In our regions, one facet of international peace and security is undoubtedly at stake, and it can only be bolstered through long-term, multifaceted responses forged in the spirit of an invigorated partnership between the United Nations, bilateral and multilateral partners and regional organizations.

I now call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

Given the topic’s importance for the African continent and the international community, Equatorial Guinea thanks Russia for having organized this ministerial meeting, together with the three African countries elected to serve on the Council. We also thank Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for their detailed briefings on the issue before us today. Formerly, African conflicts were characterized by ethnic and tribal wars for access to and control of land and natural resources, as well as other factors such as politics, culture, beliefs and social needs. Those traditional African conflicts underwent a radical change upon the arrival of new phenomena that have exacerbated violence, such as terrorism, which has many forms and is involved on active fronts throughout the world through its affiliates Al-Qaida, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and groups linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Shams, all currently based in Africa. Other no less relevant phenomena are the increase in illicit arms trafficking and trade, piracy, the growth of armed groups, sexual violence, illicit trafficking in diamonds and other minerals and more. Their effects pose a significant threat to peace and security in Africa and its economic development projects, creating chaos and causing displacement, poverty, disease, hunger and death. Arms proliferation, the exploitation and illicit trafficking of natural resources and competition for them, poverty and weak State institutions are the main causes of conflicts that create ongoing instability in conflict-prone areas or regions in Africa. Despite the progress made towards peace and security by regional and subregional bodies and their international partners, those causes have been exacerbated by the growth of extremism, terrorism, transnational organized crime, violence between communities and the effects of climate change, such as drought, floods, increased land degradation and desertification affecting agriculture, which is the main livelihood for the vast majority of Africans. The consequence of climate change and armed conflicts is reflected in the increase in the number of refugees and internally displaced persons. This forced displacement, be it internally or externally, is a crisis that mainly affects Africa. In order to give visibility to this crisis, the theme of the African Union for 2019 is “Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa”, by His Excellency Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. Every year, the Security Council holds several sessions and debates on issues related to peace and security, focusing mainly on Africa. These ongoing meetings demonstrate that both the Security Council and the international community recognize that the peace operations of the African Union are key instruments for the establishment of peace and security on the African continent. Peace and security in Africa are important for global stability, and Equatorial Guinea gives top priority to African issues in its foreign policy. That is why, during our presidency of the Council, we had the high honour of presenting, on behalf of the African Union, resolution 2457 (2019), on the Silencing the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020 initiative. The implementation of that resolution would be a solid foundation for Africa’s economic development. The African Union itself must ensure political and operational synergy and coordination among the regional economic communities and regional mechanisms. We also need to increase consultations between the African Union’s peace and security bodies and economic communities and thereby improve and strengthen the strategic partnership to jointly address and better coordinate coherent and effective initiatives to prevent, resolve and manage conflicts on the continent, as we believe it important and necessary that collaboration in conflict prevention, resolution and management include the regional economic communities and regional mechanisms as important partners in the global peace and security architecture. The participation and empowerment of women and young people in Africa’s development are crucial to laying strong foundations for conflict resolution and peacebuilding on the continent.

I now call on the Minister for International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.

I join my colleagues in thanking you, Mr. Minister, for convening this meeting. We appreciate the useful briefings by Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General. This is a timely and pertinent debate, as the majority of the Security Council’s work is dominated by conflict situations on the African continent. This debate affords us a unique opportunity to reflect on efforts to resolve conflicts in Africa, including by African countries themselves, as well as through partnerships with continental and external role players. At the outset, we must acknowledge the positive strides made by the countries of the continent in realizing the aspirations of the African Union (AU) to silence the guns in Africa by the year 2020 and in pursuing African solutions to African problems. That has led to the resolution of long-standing conflicts that have plagued the continent. Since the transition from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union in 2000, the continent has developed a strong and effective framework for addressing security challenges and threats to Africa. Those frameworks have created a synergy between the AU and the regional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution. Through the success of such initiatives, the continent has made strides in reducing violent and armed conflicts, guided by the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity between the AU and our regional organizations. However, despite the progress made, the challenges facing the continent are complex and many, involving multiple cross-cutting issues. Those include the building of peace and security, promoting inclusive socioeconomic development and resilience, promoting access to resources and economic opportunity and promoting and entrenching democracy, good governance and respect for humanity. Historically, some of the contributing factors to instability and insecurity on the African continent include poverty, marginalization, inequality, unemployment, a failure to manage diversity, poor governance, the scramble for natural resources, external interference and, more recently, the impact of climate change. Furthermore, the matters of terrorism, violent extremism and intercommunal violence have perpetuated instability in some parts of the continent, taking advantage of the vacuum created by ongoing conflicts in many areas, as well as the scourge of poverty and inequality. Coercive and often unconstitutional changes in Governments through military adventurism have also served to degrade social capital and the economies of countries, resulting in widespread violence and humanitarian crises. The impact of such challenges is not only felt on the continent but reverberates to other countries and regions. Concerted efforts and partnerships are needed to deal with all those complex threats, including understanding the conditions that give rise to them. Consequently, for us on the continent to experience sustainable peace and prosperity, the achievement of the continental aspiration envisioned in Agenda 2063 of the African Union and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is required. The United Nations makes a considerable contribution to assisting regional and subregional organizations in Africa to resolve conflict situations, primarily by deploying its envoys and peacekeepers, as well as through the valuable work of the United Nations development system. For its part, the African Union and its subregional organizations have demonstrated leadership by reacting rapidly in order to maintain peace and security on the continent, drawing on their close proximity to the situations and the ability to comprehend internal and regional political dynamics. Since the onset of its young democracy, South Africa has been an active player in the United Nations and the African Union. In recognizing the importance of those multilateral institutions, South Africa has contributed significant resources to both institutions. We have consistently been one of the biggest financial contributors to the African Union. We are also a major contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions in Africa. That includes our past deployments to the AU- United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, as well as in Burundi, and our current significant presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where our troops are part of the highly effective Force Intervention Brigade to build peace in our region. We have also supported peacebuilding in Africa through support for political processes. We will continue such support, including our work to train women leaders in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. However, the threats to peace and security require much more. We need to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and the AU in achieving our aspirations for a conflict-free and prosperous continent. A key area pertaining to strengthening that relationship is the financing of AU-led peace support operations. It is unfortunate that, despite commitments to that effect, there has not been much progress on the predictable and sustainable funding for AU-led peace support operations from United Nations assessed contributions. Another area of importance to which we would like to see attention given is the need for effective measures for transitions and drawdowns from peacekeeping to post-conflict reconstruction and development. It is vital that efforts be coordinated and harmonized by all relevant stakeholders to ensure that peacebuilding activities are effective and that the peace dividends of such operations are consolidated. The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the AU Framework for Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development should work together to provide assistance to post-conflict countries, as requested by many such countries. National ownership and leadership are pertinent to the success of peacebuilding efforts and, most importantly, to preventing countries from relapsing into conflict. We would like to further underline the imperative of involving women on an equal footing in peace and security processes. That is not only limited to countries in conflict but includes all States Members of the United Nations in order to ensure the prominent role of women in issues discussed in institutions such as the Security Council. The inclusion of young people in such processes would of course also be vital. Such provisions and actions would not merely be for the sake of gender parity in the pursuit of peace but are a necessary requirement for sustainable and effective peace, security and development on the continent. In conclusion, my country is of the firm view that partnerships for the pursuit of peace and security in Africa can succeed only provided that all partners complement each other, while working towards one common objective of achieving sustainable peace and security. That requires supporting Africa in taking a lead in finding solutions to the conflicts that persist on the continent. Conflict has no boundaries. Its impact reverberates across the world. It is therefore in the interest of all of us to work hard to ensure a safe and prosperous world.

I now give the floor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait. Sheikh Al Sabah (Kuwait) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I would like to welcome Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to the Security Council, and thank them for their participation in today’s meeting and for their informative briefings. Our meeting today is a continuation of that held yesterday morning (see S/PV.8626). The two meetings share many elements, in particular cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security, as well as strengthened partnerships and efforts to address challenges and threats to international peace and security. Cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations has enjoyed significant progress that deserves praise and admiration. Joint frameworks for peace and sustainable development have been signed this year. Furthermore, annual joint conferences have been institutionalized at the summit level between the two Organizations. A joint statement on cooperation in support of peace operations has also been adopted. Cooperation between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council continues, including through the convening of annual meetings, and we hope that this year’s thirteenth session will be held in Addis Ababa in October. Given the foregoing, we stress the importance of maintaining these efforts, which have yielded many achievements, and of building on them, in particular through the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, in order to ensure that peacekeeping missions are more efficient, better equipped, stronger and safer. This requires robust Security Council mandates, as well as sustainable and predictable funding. In that regard, we commend the continued commitment of the African Union to covering 25 per cent of the costs of peace support operations. The concerted efforts made to address challenges to peace and security through preventive diplomacy and mediation must be the first line of defence in the prevention of conflict. We can cite various examples in this regard. The best way to sustainably silence the guns is to build lasting peace and prevent conflict through continued work to establish foundations for peace, which can be achieved only by building societies in which all citizens can effectively participate. In order to reach lasting peace and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the root causes of violence and conflicts must be addressed before they erupt. The African Union Agenda 2063 cites several factors needed to prevent and resolve conflict. First of all, the culture of peace and tolerance must be strengthened by teaching children and young people the value of peace. Other concepts also have to be strengthened. These include good governance, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, justice and addressing the root causes of disputes, which we well know to be numerous and interlinked. Development is one of the pillars of the United Nations in establishing sustainable peace, security and human rights. That is why the State of Kuwait attaches great importance to this pillar. We offer our support, participation and partnership to all the African countries, and we do so because we believe that Africa is the strategic continuity of the Arab world, all the more so since 10 Arab countries are members of the African Union. That is why the State of Kuwait, in presidential statement S/PRST/2019/5, emphasized the importance of tripartite cooperation and coordination among the United Nations, African Union and the League of Arab states on issues of regional peace and security. Furthermore, the report of former Secretary- General Kofi Annan entitled “The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa” (S/1998/318) asserted that there can be no peace without development and no development without peace. This vision is in line with one of the principles and pillars of the foreign policy of the State of Kuwait, in particular the development policy adopted by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development; since 1961, the Fund’s development contribution to 51 African States has come to nearly $10 billion. On several occasions, Kuwait has confirmed that we will pursue our efforts to support the implementation of the SDGs in Africa, either through governmental and popular cooperation or through institutions of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, which considers Africa to be a major platform for its development activities in such areas as health, energy, education, water and infrastructure. Furthermore, the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, was a guest of honour at the 2012 Summit of the African Union held in Addis Ababa. He was the first Arab leader outside of the African Union to attend such a summit, which is an illustration of the importance Kuwait attaches to the African continent in general and the African Union in particular. It also demonstrates the solid relationship between the State of Kuwait and the African Union as a whole, and anchors the relationship and partnership between the League of Arab States and the African Union. In this context, the State of Kuwait hosted the third Africa-Arab Summit, held in November 2013 under the rubric “Partners in development and investment”. At the Summit, the State of Kuwait also committed to allocating soft loans in the amount of $1 billion for infrastructure under the supervision of the Kuwait Investment Authority. Furthermore, the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, launched the Abdulrahman Al-Sumait Prize for Development in Africa, a lofty humanitarian initiative allocating $1 million as annual money prize to support development research in the areas of food, health and education in Africa. With the contribution of the State of Kuwait, the Prize encourages economic and social development, as well as human capacity-building in the African continent. In conclusion, the State of Kuwait is counting on the United Nations and its bodies to promote the capacity of African States to implement the Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020 initiative, the importance of which the Security Council stressed in resolution 2457 (2019). Furthermore, the African Union 2063 Agenda, which is consistent with the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, also has to be implemented in cooperation with donor States. The State of Kuwait, as an observer in the African Union, will continue to cooperate with its members to promote the capacities of the Union for achieving peace, progress, prosperity, conflict prevention and resolution, as well as maintaining peace, security and stability in Africa, while reaffirming the importance of finding African solutions to African problems.

I now call on the State Councillor and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

Let me begin by welcoming the initiative of Russia, in its capacity as President of the Security Council this month, to convene a ministerial briefing on the issue of peace and security in Africa. I listened closely to the briefings by the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary- General and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. I applaud their efforts to safeguard peace and security in Africa. Peace and security in Africa concern not only the well-being of the African people, but also peace and stability in the wider world. China supports African countries in their efforts to solve African issues in their own way and has full confidence in Africa’s ability in that regard. Helping Africa to achieve peace and security is also the duty of the international community, in particular the Security Council. We should value Africa and prioritize its peace and security. We should trust Africa and give full play to the role of African countries in resolving their own issues. We should support Africa and help enhance its ability to safeguard peace and security. Africa is home to one-fifth of the world’s population and the largest number of developing countries. Two-thirds of the issues on the Security Council’s agenda involve African affairs. Wars and conflicts have displaced more than 20 million people on the continent. Silencing the guns in Africa is the aspiration of all Africans. Moreover, it should be a goal that the members of the international community work together to achieve. At the start of the twenty- first century, African countries have taken new steps to enhance strength through unity and made headway in building peace and security. While independently addressing their own issues, African countries are strengthening regional and subregional cooperation, which has considerably advanced the political settlement of African issues. African countries know Africa best. The Security Council should pay increased attention to African voices, respect African views and leverage the role of Africa. In recent years, there have been deeper dialogue and cooperation between the Council and the African Union (AU). That momentum should be sustained and strengthened. African countries have shown a strong political will to protect their own peace and security; yet, they also face difficulties and challenges. The most acute problem is the lack of capacity and funding. The international community, in particular the Security Council, must shoulder its responsibility. We must help Africa to enhance its capacity for maintaining peace and stability and combating terrorism, including by accelerating the development of the African Standby Force, the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises and the Continental Early Warning System. African countries look to the United Nations for sufficient, stable and sustainable funding support for African Union-led peace actions. That demand is legitimate and justified, and China fully supports it. We call on the members of the Council to reach consensus on that subject as soon as possible and take more concrete actions for peace and stability in Africa. We welcome the establishment of a transitional coalition Government in the Sudan and are ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role for the Sudan’s peace and stability. The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur has achieved success and should therefore withdraw by June next year, as scheduled. That should ensure that valuable peacekeeping resources can be channelled to places where there are more urgently needed. Thanks to the mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and other actors, all parties in South Sudan have signed the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. We hope that the parties will earnestly implement the Agreement in order to genuinely usher in a new phase of national reconstruction. Conflicts in Libya, which have lasted more than eight years, have brought its people untold suffering. The international community should take genuine action to help Libya end the conflict and resume political dialogue. It is important to pursue a Libyan- led and Libyan-owned political process, support the work of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salamé, and leverage the comparative advantages and role of regional organizations, such as the African Union and the League of Arab States, in order to form synergies with the United Nations. China supports the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) in its efforts to achieve regional peace and security. We call on the international community to provide the necessary support for its Joint Force and encourages regional and subregional organizations in Africa to play a leading role. Africa’s peace and security hinge on the peace and stability of the Great Lakes region — the heartland of the continent. The United Nations and the international community should continue to support the efforts of the East African Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, promote cooperation among the countries of the region and advance regional, political and peace processes. China supports the notion proposed by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Huang Xia, for better development through cooperation and greater peace through development. China has closely followed developments with regard to the Ebola epidemic in Africa. We have decided to provide emergency humanitarian aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries. We are working with the World Health Organization and the AU to prevent and control the epidemic, as part of our concrete actions to stand with our African brothers in times of need. China calls on the international community to take more solid steps to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries achieve victory over the epidemic as soon as possible. China and Africa are good friends, good brothers and good partners. The principle of sincerity will result in the amity, good faith efforts and the pursuit of the greater good and shared interests outlined by President Xi Jinping as the fundamental guide to China’s Africa policy. In the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, we work with African countries to build a China-Africa community with a shared future that features joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, happiness for all, common cultural prosperity, common security and a harmonious coexistence. With regard to helping Africa safeguard peace and security, China has never been absent. As we speak, more than 2,000 Chinese peacekeepers are defending peace in five United Nations missions in Africa. For more than a decade, the Chinese navy has undertaken escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and in waters off the coast of Somalia. It has completed more than 1,200 missions to safeguard in excess of 6,700 ships from various countries. We support Africa in strengthening its capacity for peace and security. The first delivery of defence assistance worth ¥200 million has arrived in Africa in support of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises. In addition, China has provided ¥300 million to counter- terrorism efforts in the Sahel and to the Joint Force of the G-5 Sahel. The China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund, announced by President Xi Jinping in September 2015, prioritizes peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and sustainable development in Africa. Having sponsored 34 African-related programmes, the Fund has become a new platform for China-Africa-United Nations trilateral cooperation. Let me reiterate that on the path to Africa’s peace and development, China will, as always, stand firm and forge ahead with Africa every step of the way.

I now call on the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Russian Federation for convening today’s very important discussion on the strategic partnership among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations. The Council is well aware of President Macron’s personal commitment to Africa. In his statement in Ouagadougou in November 2017, he described the challenge for France’s new relations with Africa — that of shared responsibility. It means that we cannot rely on old patterns. Africa does not expect our generosity; it expects partnership. France will work with Africa to build lasting economic partnerships among equals that lead to investment in the private sector, African innovations and Africa’s young people. That will be the focus of the next Africa-France Summit, which we will organize in Bordeaux in June 2020. In our view, that partnership approach also applies to collective security. Close cooperation among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations allows us to combine our political efforts and define our strategies more closely in line with realities on the ground. It also makes it possible to optimize the means at our disposal, in the interest of efficiency. We see today that the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations today is proving to be of great value in terms of crisis prevention, mediation and operations. We could cite several examples in that regard, such as recently in the Sudan, and Madagascar, where the efforts of the African Union have enjoyed the support of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community and other partners, including France and the European Union. Those joint efforts enhanced the transparency and credibility of the 2018 presidential elections and serves as a successful model for crisis prevention. In the Central African Republic, the joint effort by the African Union and the United Nations led to the signing of the peace agreement between the Government and armed groups on 6 February. The vigilant and coordinated engagement of all international partners must continue in order to guarantee the full implementation of that agreement. Furthermore, in the Sahel, joint action by the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) is essential to ensuring that the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali — outcome of the Algiers process  — is implemented, and that the United Nations and the African Union play a key role in the Implementation Monitoring Committee. It is also vital in the fight against terrorism, where the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali provides logistical support to the Joint Force of the G-5 Sahel. Such cooperation must be strengthened and expanded. France supports the initiatives taken by Heads of State and Government at the expanded ECOWAS summit held in Ouagadougou. Heads of State and Government called for improved coordination between international efforts and for enhanced cooperation among the States of the region to halt the spread of the threat. It is within that framework that France and Germany have proposed the establishment of a new partnership for security and stability in the Sahel. That partnership will serve to strengthen coordination among the various defence and internal security actions, as well as to broaden the perimeter, enabling further work to be undertaken in the countries bordering Lake Chad. But today it falls to us to further strengthen the partnership among the United Nations, the African Union and regional organizations in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations and the role of the Security Council. In his Action for Peacekeeping initiative, the Secretary-General places great emphasis on long-term partnerships, with good reason. Our capacity for collective action depends upon, first of all, our common vision. That is why we are actively participating in the annual consultations between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. We must also enhance information sharing with regard to early- warning, as has been mentioned already several times, in order to better anticipate and prevent crises. We must also go further with regard to joint African Union-United Nations funding of upcoming African peace operations. As we know, the current African members of the Council are asking us to ensure the sustainability and predictability of our funding. France supports the African Union’s approach, which is ultimately aimed at the Security Council authorizing, on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with specific modalities, the use of mandatory contributions, in addition to the African Union contribution, to finance those operations. We are convinced that African peace operations meet a triple need: first, a political need, as nothing can replace the determination of African countries to advance peace on their own continent; secondly, a strategic need, because the capacity to conduct peace operations is still lacking; and, thirdly, an operational need, as African contingents are best placed to achieve tactical success, thanks to their knowledge and expertise on the ground. We must consider how effectively Nigeria, Chad, the Niger and Cameroon engaged in the fight against Boko Haram in the early stages. I therefore wish to commend the work undertaken by the Secretary-General and the African Union Commission on this issue. Significant progress has been made, such as the commitment made by African States at the Kigali Summit to fund 25 per cent of the cost of those operations by 2020, through the African Union Peace Fund. We still have a way to go in several areas, but we sincerely hope that we can make enough progress in the coming months to see rapid and effective results.

I now call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesia shares the view of the briefers that partnership with all stakeholders and at all levels is highly pertinent when addressing peace and security challenges in Africa. Indonesia’s partnership with Africa began in the days of our forefathers as they fought for independence. Since then, our relations have become more solid, more developed and more action-oriented, with the aim of addressing common global challenges. But one thing remains unchanged  — our relations will always be based on good faith, honesty and sincerity. This is the spirit of togetherness that we need to replicate at the global level: a partnership that will not cause any harm to Africa; a partnership that will bring mutual benefits to Africa; and a partnership that will bring equality and common progress to Africa. I would like to address some key points in that regard. First, I wish to stress the importance of a home-grown solution. The report of the Secretary- General (S/2018/678) notes that the peace and security challenges being faced in some parts of Africa are increasingly complex and volatile. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and that is why we believe in the principle of African solutions to African problems. It is in that spirit that Indonesia supports the Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020 initiative through enhanced partnership between the United Nations and the African Union (AU). Secondly, there is a need to strengthen partnership with subregional and other regional organizations. Subregional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have played important roles in preventing and solving conflicts in their respective regions. Stronger cooperation and collaboration on the ground is even more crucial. Cooperation between United Nations peacekeeping missions and AU-led peace operations to counter terrorism is proof of such cooperation on the ground. Interregional cooperation is equally as important. Efforts are under way between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the AU to establish closer cooperation between the two regions on issues of common interest. Thirdly, international support for African development and capacity-building must be improved. Economic growth is one of the prerequisites to achieve peace. Indonesia has done its part to support Africa through technical cooperation and capacity- building programmes. Indonesia held the Indonesia- Africa Forum in April 2018, and the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue in August this year. Those events resulted in concrete economic cooperation in various strategic sectors, including infrastructure, trade, connectivity and strategic industries. Last year, Indonesia also hosted the Indonesia-Africa Maritime Dialogue to strengthen cooperation on maritime security and sustainable fisheries. Such activities have proven effective in improving the economy, development, food security and livelihoods of our African brothers and sisters. Lastly, Indonesia will continue its commitment to maintaining peace in Africa through our participation in United Nations peace operations. Indonesia is currently contributing to seven missions in Africa, namely, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. Moving forward, we will continue to work in peacekeeping missions in Africa through community engagement to win the hearts and minds of local communities and achieve the objective of peace and stability in Africa. Indonesia will remain committed, as a true partner of Africa, to maintaining peace and security. We will continue to work together with Africa.

I now call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland.

At the outset, let me thank the Russian presidency and the African members of the Council — Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa — for having brought us together today to discuss partnerships in strengthening regional peace and security in Africa. I would also like to thank Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet to the Secretary-General, and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, for their comprehensive and insightful briefings. The African continent is particularly conflict- prone and has been the arena of more than one fourth of global violent conflicts, unrest and crisis in recent years — in Mali, the Central African Republic, Libya and Somalia, to name but a few. In 2018 alone, 50 per cent of the Security Council’s country-specific or regional-situations-related meetings were devoted to Africa. The root causes of violence and conflict in Africa are complex. Poverty and political, social and economic inequalities compound Africa’s deep-seated historical problems. In addition, State and non-State actors are increasingly interfering through the use of foreign military groups in a quest for influence, thereby undermining already fragile situations. The security challenges on the continent are changing rapidly, with ethnic clashes and drug and human trafficking. Elections-related violence, irregular migration flows, border security problems and extremism and terrorism are on the rise. Violent conflicts have erupted in part over the abundance of lucrative mineral resources. Tackling these problems on the ground requires tailor-made actions and joint international efforts. Allow me to attempt to answer the questions raised at today’s meeting and to speak from the perspective of a country that has had the experience of a peaceful and democratic political transformation and benefited from local and regional partnerships. First, let me stress that the principle of African solutions to African problems must remain relevant. We believe that strong and accountable State institutions are critical to ensuring political stability and economic growth. A weak State apparatus and a lack of regionally led solutions are among the sources of insecurity and instability in Africa. However, the concept of African ownership needs to be strengthened by strong political will, and that is where the Security Council should seek its role. There is a need to enhance the dialogue on challenges to peace and security and to support the African integration agenda through increased cooperation with the African Union Peace and Security Council, which should present clear and timely positions to the United Nations Security Council. Secondly, we applaud the fact that the United Nations engages regularly with regional and subregional organizations on peace and security issues. That partnership should strive to bridge the development divide through the strengthening of economic cooperation and the promotion of sustainable development. Here Africa’s regional economic communities constitute key building blocks for economic integration. To be more effective, those communities should enhance policy convergence, harmonize their mandates and strengthen their coordination with member countries. The communities could also consider the idea of creating multinational task forces in order to successfully fight terrorists, extremists and cross-border crime. More generally, we find it necessary to strengthen coordination and coherence between the United Nations and the African Union in terms of proper analysis, planning and decision-making frameworks. In February, we, as a member of the Security Council, endorsed our commitment to peace and security on the African continent through the adoption of resolution 2457 (2019), whereby the Security Council acknowledged that the task of building peace and stability lies essentially with the African Union and its 55 member States. It also recognizes the need for international cooperation and partnership in support of local and regional solutions. The resolution serves as an example of the efforts made to strengthen the partnership with the African Union. Thirdly, we should regularly ask whether we could do more in support of peace and security in Africa, and what has proved most efficient. Poland emphasizes the importance of conflict prevention and of strengthening peacekeeping operations through a strategic partnership between the African Union and the United Nations. Africa’s peace-operations capacity has increased significantly. We need a proper debate on the role of the regional organizations responsible for maintaining peace and security in their own regions and their cooperation with the Security Council. At present four out of five United Nations Blue Helmets are based in Africa. African States have conducted operations of their own and contribute a very large number of United Nations peacekeepers. The United Nations peacekeeping model, however, was not aimed at conducting enforcement or counter-terrorism operations or at dealing with transnational challenges such as organized crime or regional violent extremism. The African Union and other African bodies such as the Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force or the Multinational Joint Task Force seem to be well suited to addressing these kinds of challenges. Africa is a continent whose great potential is yet to be fulfilled. Its many bright young people deserve access to quality education and job opportunities. People who see a better future for themselves at home do not take the risky decision to embark on a dangerous journey abroad. The key to reaching political, development and security goals is the trust and involvement of local populations. Africa is no exception. The United Nations should remain closely engaged, in cooperation with the African Union and other partners, in laying solid and inclusive foundations for sustainable peace in the region.

I now call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Peru.

We wish to welcome and thank you, Mr. President, and Minister Lavrov for this timely meeting and to welcome also the participation of the eminent authorities who are here with us this afternoon. We are also grateful for the important statement made by Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet to the Secretary-General, and Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. We recognize the responsibility and unity of African peoples and leaders in terms of achieving the ambitious goal that they have set of silencing the guns and of promoting, in line with the efforts of the international community, sustainable peace on the continent. We welcome in particular the agreements reached in the Sudan and the Central African Republic, where we participate with a significant number of troops as a part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. The development of a comprehensive regional legal basis with new administrative structures and coordination mechanisms has been fostering synergies and complementarities among the United Nations system, including the Security Council, and the various African regional and subregional organizations with a view to institutionalizing and making the peace and global security architecture more effective. In that regard, we would like to refer to three areas in which we believe there is still significant potential for shared effort to be developed. First, in the area of conflict prevention, we consider it necessary to strengthen the continent’s monitoring and early-warning capabilities, including the United Nations offices in the region. In particular, it will be crucial to continue promoting the development of preventive diplomacy and recourse to peaceful means of dispute settlement at the regional level, in the light of positive experiences and lessons learned, including those of the Economic Community of West African States in Guinea-Bissau and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in South Sudan, with which the Council promotes active cooperation. Secondly, in the area of peacekeeping operations, we believe that the current momentum aimed at increasing efficiency and performance standards in such operations requires capitalizing the comparative advantages of both global and regional bodies. The promising results of the joint analysis and evaluation visits carried out by officials of the Secretariat and the African Union show the potential of that approach, grounded in resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2457 (2019) and the Joint Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security. We would also like to highlight African experience with combating terrorism gained through regional operations in Burundi and Somalia and, recently, by the Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force and the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram, which constitute innovative initiatives under the African Peace and Security Architecture. We believe it is crucial that the United Nations contribute to building the capacity of those entities with the aim of providing them with predictable, sustainable and flexible financing, particularly where the needs are greatest, in line with the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Thirdly, in the area of sustainable development and peacebuilding, we believe that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union should mutually reinforce each other with the ultimate goal of addressing the root causes of conflict, promoting economic growth on the basis of the rule of law and encouraging the participation of women and youth as agents of change in their respective societies. We would also highlight, in the context of national reconstruction and reconciliation processes, the role of the Peacebuilding Commission as an advisory body contributing to the forging of alliances required for the consolidation of peace on the continent. In conclusion, we emphasize that investment in the development and strengthening of African regional and subregional capacities represents, in the current context, the most efficient and effective alternative for our shared responsibility to maintain international peace and security.

I now call on the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium.

The African continent will have 2.5 billion inhabitants by 2050. One in four people will be African. The cradle of humankind has also become its future. It is a young continent, endowed with extraordinary economic dynamism and a civil society bursting with energy. But that future continues to be thwarted by violent conflicts, some of which are the deadliest and longest in the world. Responding to those challenges inevitably involves a strengthened partnership between all peace forces. My country, like the European Union, has long advocated for a renewed, more global, dynamic and ambitious partnership with the African continent. Such a partnership would be based on strengthening the values ​we share. Let us move past former antagonisms and see what brings us together, namely, respect for the rule of law, democracy and human rights. Those same values inspire the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union. Let us strengthen them and work even more closely with the African Union in the area of ​peace and security, with the aim of silencing the guns in Africa. But let us also work together more on development, human rights and good governance as powerful vectors of stability. As Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat reminded us today, the African Union has embarked upon a voluntary and ambitious path to peace and security. I welcome the progress made not only in revitalizing the Peace Fund, but also in establishing a continental framework for compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law. As a member of the Council, Belgium is committed to working closely with its partners to support those efforts. African Union operations, which complement United Nations operations, must be eligible for strong and predictable funding. But we must do more. The Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union must take a step further in terms of coordination and collaboration. Risk and conflict analyses need to be better aligned. That can start with simple actions, such as better coordinating agendas, conducting more joint visits, making our joint meetings more operational and taking joint decisions on shared commitments. Such renewed partnership will be relevant only if it takes into account African diversity, both geographical and institutional. The principle of subsidiarity, which is also well known in Europe, requires public action to be carried out as a priority at the most appropriate level. Some crises are well managed at a subregional level. The Economic Community of West African States, for example, has demonstrated that with its effective and swift management of the Gambian crisis in 2017, as well as with its involvement in Guinea- Bissau.  However — and I would like to stress this point — the principle of subsidiarity should in no way serve as an excuse for inaction and should not be a barrier to progress. The peace and prosperity of all Africans should serve as our compass. In our view, the African Union and the United Nations still have a leading role to play, in accordance with their founding Charters, and must stand ready to play it. I would be remiss if, before concluding, I did not pay tribute to African women. How Africa harnesses women’s skills and perspectives in the coming years will be essential. Women leaders and entrepreneurs prove to us every day that they are prepared to transform the continent. Women mediators and women’s organizations have already demonstrated time and time again that their involvement in peace and transitional processes is essential to achieving lasting peace. Finally, African women, like all women in the world, demand respect for their rights. Belgium stands with those women, whom we support in many ways.

I now call on the Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

Sometimes we find hope in unlikely places. Recently, the Sudan became one of them. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited the country last month. He met Government representatives willing to listen to people’s demands. And he met the brave men and women who brought down the Al-Bashir regime through peaceful protests. Their hunger for justice, democracy and peace will be the best assurance for steering the Sudan through the difficult transition that lies ahead, but the people of the Sudan are also telling us that they will need our support. My first message today, therefore, is that we have to put the African people at the centre of our efforts. They deserve our support. That is why we are promoting the leadership of African women in political processes through the African Women Leaders Network and FemWise Africa. That is why we are working to implement resolution 2467 (2019), for example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sexual violence in conflict must end once and for all, and that is why the Council must address the situation of those suffering from displacement, violence, malnutrition or disease. I am glad to announce that Germany will contribute an additional €7 million to the €60 million that it has already contributed to combating the Ebola epidemic. My second message today is that we must remain committed beyond the immediate crisis phase. The seamless transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, and from peacebuilding to building stable, inclusive societies is what we should be aiming for together. Germany will therefore increase its contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund by €15 million this year. As a Council, however, we also need to focus more on the drivers of conflict. One key element is the control of small arms and light weapons. They cause more casualties among civilians than any other type of weapon. We will therefore continue to support the African Union (AU) Silencing the Guns by 2020 initiative and to address the security implications of climate change that affect many regions, especially in Africa. Mitigating climate change must become a key component of all our efforts, including our resolutions and activities. My third message is that we need stronger and smarter partnerships with Africa that build on African solutions and African leadership. We are proud that the European Union is one of the African Union’s top security partners, having provided €2.7 billion for African-led peace missions over the past 15 years. We are willing to build on that. We should aim for even closer cooperation between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council. In that regard, I would like to say here that we look forward to their meeting planned for October in Addis Ababa. We welcome the efforts of the European Union, the African Union and the United Nations to explore ways to enhance that trilateral cooperation. We will continue to invest in lasting partnerships. In answering the call from leaders of the region for greater support, Germany and France have initiated an international partnership for security and stability in the Sahel region. It focuses on the central elements in the fight for peace and security, namely, well-managed, well-trained and well-equipped security forces that provide safety for their people. It is a platform to coordinate international support for the security sector of the countries in the region and a basis for more effectively linking security activities involving stabilization measures and conflict prevention. In conclusion, the brave civil society representatives in the Sudan, the women rebuilding their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the villagers in the Sahel, who want to live free of terrorist threats, are all looking to us with hope. Let us make sure that the Council is the place to which they can turn.

I would like to welcome today all the Ministers to the Council. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had wanted to make the intervention on behalf of the United Kingdom today, but he had to return to London for urgent parliamentary business. The United Kingdom is a staunch supporter of the African Union (AU) vision for silencing the guns in Africa, and as we have heard today, real progress is already under way towards achieving that noble goal, driven primarily by African leaders, civil society and communities. It is important that we see an integrated United Nations approach across its three pillars in support of that goal. The African Union and the African regional economic communities are indispensable partners in maintaining peace and security on the African continent. The United Kingdom therefore applauds the joint efforts of the African Union and the United Nations in fostering dialogue and mediating peace negotiations across Africa. Those efforts, together with those of subregional organizations, have borne real fruit in 2019. They have supported the transition to the civilian- led Government in the Sudan, and we were glad that all members of the Security Council were eventually able to support the African Union’s position in the Sudan and, of course, the recent Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic. We also hope that all members of the Council will lend their full support to the implementation of the peace agreement in the Central African Republic and refrain from any destabilizing bilateral activity there. I hope that Chairperson Mahamat and Secretary- General Guterres will continue to exert their good offices in the region in the coming months. That is vital to helping resolve and prevent conflict, for example, by encouraging progress on the implementation of the revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and supporting the recently announced national dialogue process in Cameroon. Cooperation and coordination on a range of peace and security issues is a vital element of the United Kingdom-AU strategic partnership. In Somalia the United Kingdom has deployed military personnel through the United Nations to support the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), in addition to its extensive bilateral support to the Somali security forces. We recognize the African Union’s vital role in peace enforcement activity. That is why we support, in principle, access to United Nations-assessed contributions for future AU-led African peace support operations on a case-by-case basis and subject to certain key conditions. In that context, I hope that all Member States, especially those which most support this proposal, will back posts designed to support the necessary standards of compliance in AMISOM in the Fifth Committee this year. The United Kingdom’s support for Africa’s peace and stability is perhaps most obvious in its defence and security partnerships. Our armed forces train thousands of their African counterparts through long- term training programmes. Just this summer, United Kingdom forces provided military training to the latest Malawian battalion about to deploy to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and, as our own deployment to South Sudan ends in 2020, we will begin contributing British troops to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. The United Kingdom’s experts are also working across the continent to help build African capacity to tackle a range of security threats. To name just a few examples, those include terrorism in Somalia, Nigeria and Kenya, the illegal trade in drugs in Tanzania and wildlife trafficking in Malawi and Zambia. We are also supporting African security forces to prevent sexual violence in conflict and to implement the broader women and peace and security agenda. There can be no meaningful global debate on those topics that does not include the voices of African women and girls, and they will be central to the global conference that we will host November in London on preventing sexual violence in conflict. Women and girls also have a wider role to play in preventing and resolving conflicts and building sustainable peace. We know that research demonstrates that peace processes that are inclusive of women are 35 per cent more likely to last for a period of 15 years or longer. Women are at the heart of many of the initiatives that we support to find political solutions to conflict in Africa, such as the African Union’s FemWise network and the Commonwealth Network of Women Mediators. However, we must look beyond the current crises. The African Union’s own Agenda 2063 recognizes that stability, security, good governance and inclusive economic development are inextricably intertwined. Africa’s long-term stability and success will depend, in part, on whether the 20 million young Africans who join the job market each year see meaningful prospects for filling their enormous potential. They will struggle to do so wherever conflict, corruption or the impacts of climate change constrain human capital, investment and entrepreneurship. As one of the biggest development donors in Africa, we will continue to focus on working with African partners on issues that will improve the lives of African citizens. That includes job creation, quality education, health care and access to family planning and climate resilience. We will also provide support to mobilize the high-quality private investment that the region needs, including through a major United Kingdom-Africa investment summit to be held in London in early 2020. The United Kingdom will remain committed to a holistic approach to supporting peace and security in Africa, while recognizing the mutually reinforcing links among security, prosperity and good governance. We will also continue to work with and through partnerships across the region, while acknowledging that it is Africans themselves who shape their continent’s future.

I would like to thank today’s briefers for their presentations and thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to engage on the critical topic of peace and security in Africa. The United States is deeply committed to realizing a better life for all the people of Africa and demonstrates that through our robust bilateral programmes. The United States has spent more than one third of its worldwide bilateral development assistance in sub-Saharan Africa since 2011. We spent $13.4 billion in 2017 alone to support stability and prosperity on the continent. There are strong economic incentives for investment. Africa is home to six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies and over 1 billion consumers. But the United States understands that that is only part of the continent’s larger story — the millions of individuals with unique callings and limitless potential. That is why our support does not burden African countries with unsustainable debts or unreasonable expectations. The Security Council’s common wish should be for Africa to be strong and vibrant, free from the limiting obligations that some might place on it. But strengthened vibrancy requires cooperation among regional actors. To that end, the United States applauds the recent efforts by African Governments and organizations to assume responsibility for achieving those goals. We are grateful for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has urged leaders to govern inclusively and abide by the election timelines in Guinea-Bissau. We commend the peacekeeping deployment of ECOWAS and its support for the transition in the Gambia. We are also appreciative of the work of the African Union (AU) and Ethiopia in helping secure a civilian-led transitional Government in the Sudan. Those examples are encouraging. Regional actors should do even more to address the challenges that threaten stability. For instance, the anglophone conflict in Cameroon has led to the deaths of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. And, while we are also encouraged by the Government’s announcement to hold a national dialogue, the region could do more. We also note that flagging regional cooperation in South Sudan has slowed the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. As many have highlighted here today, financing is one of the challenges confronting regional cooperation. That is certainly true in the case of African Union peacekeeping operations. We recognize the sacrifices that the AU and African troop-contributing countries are making, and we are aware of the challenges associated with taking on a greater role. The United States supports the United Nations and the AU’s efforts to establish systems that offer predictable, sustainable and reliable financing for future operations. But any mechanism using United Nations-assessed contributions requires a deliberate approach, with the appropriate safeguards. Any draft resolution on that topic must address long-standing United States policy positions, including with respect to financial transparency and trade measures. Such a draft resolution must also address concerns regarding adequate burden-sharing, fiscal transparency and adherence to United Nations standards for conduct in peacekeeping operations. Those principles will improve the integrity and fiscal health of AU operations, but, more important, they will allow the AU to deliver real peace and security to vulnerable populations. As we have heard throughout this high-level week from world leaders, activists and countless others, our words are ultimately empty if they are not backed by concrete actions; we could not agree more. We want to reiterate our commitment to doing more than speaking of peace and security in Africa. That is one reason that the United States has decided to co-lead with South Africa the upcoming Security Council trip to South Sudan. The trip will allow the Council to see how our words and decisions are impacting lives on the ground and to appreciate first-hand how we can help deliver a measurably better life for every man, woman and child in South Sudan, and on the African continent more broadly.

We would like to thank the Russian Federation for organizing this briefing, and we reiterate our congratulations on your assumption, Mr. President, of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. It is an honour to have among us Minister Pandor and Ms. Viotti. Allow us to also extend our thanks to the briefers for their detailed remarks. The reasons that States find themselves immersed in ongoing conflicts are varied, but among the most common are economic crises, the struggle for access to, and control of, natural resources, terrorism, ethnic and religious differences and the effects of climate change. That diverse set of factors makes it necessary to approach the issue of security and development in Africa from a broad and holistic perspective. Mali, the Sudan, Libya and Somalia, to mention a few places, serve to demonstrate that the threats facing the African continent must be addressed in a comprehensive manner, while maintaining the understanding that the primary responsibility for the future of the region is in the hands of African countries, with cooperation from the international community. First, we wish to underscore the importance of the Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020. That initiative is quite ambitious but also necessary, and we welcome the progress made by the member States of the African Union in implementing the Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to achieve that overarching objective. Despite the efforts undertaken by the international community and the significant strides made by many African countries in achieving peace and stability, major challenges remain. Efforts must be redoubled to continue supporting the region in that endeavour, bearing in mind that the aspirations for peace, security and stability in Africa and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals are common priorities, as outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which constitute a reinforced alliance for peace and security in the region. With a view to addressing the major challenges facing the African region, it is crucial to address the immediate and root causes of conflicts before they reach the agenda of the Security Council. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its goal of peaceful, inclusive and sustainable societies, represents the master plan for prevention. Collective action can be strengthened by engaging regional and subregional bodies, particularly in prevention, development and post-conflict efforts. We recognize the work being carried out by the Peacebuilding Commission and understand that enhanced collaboration with the Security Council must be ensured in order to guarantee due attention to countries emerging from conflict. It is important to continue using the Commission’s convening power to strengthen strategic alliances with regional and subregional organizations, since they serve as forums for promoting coherence with initiatives undertaken at the national level by allowing for regular information exchange. The Dominican Republic reiterates its commitment to achieving and maintaining international peace and security, which is why we extend our support to the States of the African Union in their efforts to realize a conflict-free continent. We urge regional organizations to step up their activities in mediation and promoting dialogue between the parties, including civil society, with the aim of building the trust and political will necessary to build sustainable peace in the region. The active participation of organizations such as the African Union is a vital tool for the peaceful and inclusive resolution of conflicts. Its leadership is essential for building trust and readiness among parties to enter into dialogue conducive to peace.

I now call on the Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs of Egypt.

I would like, at the outset, to thank the Russian presidency of the Security Council for the month of September for having convened this important meeting on the topic “Peace and security in Africa: partnership to strengthen regional peace and security”. I would also express our appreciation for having invited Egypt to participate in this meeting as Chairperson of the African Union, thereby reflecting the important African vision on issues of peace and security on the continent and the principle of African solutions for African problems. The African continent is facing a number of interlinked challenges affecting peace and security, foremost of which are the threats of terrorism and extremism spreading across different regions in Africa, as well as organized crime, human trafficking, arms trafficking and the impacts of climate change, such as desertification, water shortages and scarcity of natural resources, at a time of peoples’ growing aspirations to peace, stability, development and well-being. On this occasion, I would like to focus in my statement on three main messages. First, Egypt believes that the best means to ensure stability and peace in the world, especially on the African continent, is by addressing the root causes of problems that constitute a threat to peace and security, while working on conflict and crises prevention in the first place. Furthermore, the role of preventive diplomacy and mediation in settling disputes among States is important. In that context, we stress the need to respect the established principle of African solutions for African problems. That principle was the basis for the successful Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020 initiative, which complements other ongoing African efforts to establish security and peace in Africa, constituting also an important added value to the pillars of the African Peace and Security Architecture with the aim of promoting mediation and preventive diplomacy to prevent, resolve and manage conflicts and crises and achieving post-conflict reconstruction and development. That would revive the relevant African policy, including through launching the activities of the African Union Centre for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa, which is based in Cairo. Secondly, Egypt stresses the importance of all international and regional concerted efforts to support stability and security on the African continent. In that regard, we underscore the importance of achieving continued consistency and coordination between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. The aim is to unify visions and positions related to all the issues included on the agenda of both Councils. In that connection, I would like to commend the important role played by the group of the three African States members of the Security Council. Thirdly, all international and regional efforts aimed at achieving stability and security on the continent must be based on the principle of the sovereignty of States and the central role of Governments in designing peace agreements and development plans in accordance with national priorities and national ownership. Sustainable and long-term peace can be achieved only by strengthening the capacity of Governments to extend their authority throughout their territories and promote their institutional capacities in all fields, thereby achieving security and stability while ensuring their gains in that regard. In conclusion, I cannot but to emphasize the close link between peace and security, on one hand, and achieving sustainable development, on the other, as well as ensuring the transition from achieving peace and security to peacebuilding and sustainable peace. All international and regional efforts to achieve peace, security and stability must go hand in hand with efforts to achieve socioeconomic development. We are therefore currently preparing for the Aswan Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development to be launched at the summit level on 11 and 12 December. The Forum will be a platform for dialogue and interaction among leaders, decision-makers and experts in order to lay out an integrated African vision linking aspects of development and peace, and to practically implement existing African initiatives and policies as well as achieving sustainable development. That would contribute to the stability of societies while minimizing the risks of polarization of destructive and extremist ideologies.

I now call on the Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Political Director of the European External Action Service.

I speak on behalf of the European Union and its member States. The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement. As stated by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, the African continent is no longer defined by conflict. A continent where change is in full swing, fuelled by vigorous and creative youth, Africa will be one of the drivers of future global growth. At the same time, despite the successes mentioned by Chairperson Mahamat — in the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar — Africa continues to face security challenges. That is why the European Union fully supports the African Union’s Silencing the Guns by 2020 initiative. It is also the reason the European Union places conflict prevention and early warning, mediation and crisis response measures at the heart of its Common Foreign and Security Policy. Given that the conflicts and their causes are multifaceted and deep-rooted in socioeconomic, historic and climatic factors, the European Union is committed to taking a comprehensive approach to strengthen the resilience of States and societies. The Sahel is perhaps the best example of such an approach, a subregion in which the European Union has invested €8 billion over recent years. The European Union also supports the African Peace and Security Architecture and has learned to listen to the voice of the African Union Peace and Security Council and to ensure our actions are anchored in African ownership. That is an absolutely crucial area for Europe. The European Union is entering into the fourth phase of its support for the African Peace and Security Architecture, whose capacity development it has been supporting since 2007, with up to €2.7 billion to help in the African Union Mission in Somalia/Group of Five for the Sahel fight against Boko Haram. The African Union and the European Union established a strategic partnership 20 years ago, in Cairo. The most recent Summit of European Union and African Union Heads of State and Government, held recently in Abidjan, was an opportunity to redefine our common priorities. Ministerial meetings, meetings between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the European Union Political and Security Committee and regular meetings between all of the commissioners of both organizations have all been opportunities to define and renew those commitments in order to enhance our joint work. In conclusion, I would like to cite the excellent relationship among the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union, especially in the areas of peace and security, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, sustainable and inclusive growth, human rights and the fight against climate change, as well as in the implementation of African Union and United Nations reforms.