23 June 2022 (ECA) - High-level representatives from the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) participated in an inaugural AU-UN Periodic Coordination Meeting held virtually on 23 June with UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohamed, and AUC Deputy Chairperson, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, co-chairs.
The periodic meetings provide a platform to recalibrate and strengthen the relationship between both organizations. The objectives of the meeting are threefold: firstly, to discuss the areas of collaboration between the UN and the AU; secondly, to showcase the ongoing work being done by the AU and the UN, and lastly to agree on the work going forward.
“The last 2 years have seriously tested the socio-economic state of our continent. Thus, there is a call for a critical shift toward true African development. One that addresses peace, security, and Sustainable Development Goals.” said AU Deputy Chairperson, Monique Nsanzabaganwa.
UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohamed, highlighted the importance of providing policy support to African nations, stating “there is a lot more policy work to be done. We need to ask ourselves what this partnership is yielding for African leaders at a political and institutional level.”
The meeting reviewed the proposed matrix on the “AU-UN thematic priorities areas” which looked at addressing the priorities of the African continent in light of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the ECA called attention to the topic of energy, noting that it is a pressing matter to be addressed by the AU-UN partnership.
“Energy is so crucial for us and for everything else that we are doing. If we don't have energy, we can't power our schools so the 41 weeks of schooling lost under Covid-19 we will lose again because we don't have energy. We also will not be able to power our hospitals and do our agriculture,” said Ms Songwe.
Additionally, discussion and feedback over proposed joint work plans of the respective 8 Opportunity and Issue-Based Coalitions (O/IBCs) of the Africa Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) reflected the opportunity for engendering lasting and transformational change and ensuring effective linkages between regional, sub-regional and national dimensions, including regional and sub-regional integration and transboundary actions.
The AU-UN Annual Meeting recommitted to redoubling their efforts to move forward the AU-UN Framework on the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and 2030 Agenda, and AU-UN Framework for Enhanced Partnership on Peace and Security in Africa to support African countries in fast-tracking transitions from the socioeconomic response to the challenges of COVID-19 to the longer-term recovery efforts of the African continent. In this context, African Union Commissioners and their UN counterparts from the Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Development Program as well as the respective departments of the United Nations Secretariat agreed on enhanced coordination to achieve the common goals of the two agendas, 2063 and 2030.
The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohamed, and the African Union Deputy Chairperson, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, agreed to convene the African Union-United Nations Coordination Meetings periodically and before the end of the year.
Issued by:
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Economic Commission for Africa
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