Mahamat expressed, on his account on X, that the relationship between the AU and the UN “is not always easy for large bureaucratic organizations, especially during these times of unprecedented global turmoil.” He revealed that it was an honor and privilege to serve alongside UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who he said stood firm in his principled positions in defense of our shared global values of international cooperation, solidarity, justice and human dignity.
At the conclusion of the conference yesterday, Guterres emphasized the need for a reformed global financial architecture, addressing the development needs of Africa. “For the first time, it is recognized that we live in an economic and financial system that is inefficient and unfair, especially towards the African continent,” he stressed, highlighting the growing challenges facing African nations, such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, exacerbated inflation caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and overwhelming debt burdens.
Despite its rich resources, Africa remains economically constrained and lacks access to adequate concessional financing, which hampers its ability to invest in sustainable development and climate adaptation, he stressed, and expressed his confidence on the recent Future Summit which has laid the groundwork for mobilizing resources, including Sustainable Development Goals stimulus to reduce debt and create opportunities for sustainable growth.
Referring to African representation on the United Nations Security Council, Guterres said that “such reform is crucial to ensure that African voices are heard in global governance, particularly on peace and security issues, where the continent often bears the brunt of conflicts.”
Mahamat echoed those concerns and the continent’s economical struggle in calling for continued reform efforts at both the UN Security Council and global financial institutions.
The official acknowledged the significant progress made in the AU-UN cooperation under Guterres’ leadership and praised the UN’s commitment to bringing Africa to the forefront of global decision-making.
The eighth AU-UN Annual Conference reaffirmed the strong institutionalized partnership between the parties, and its leaders expressing commitment to maintaining dynamic and forward-looking cooperation.
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