Brussels - New York: Europe and the Arabs
A joint statement was issued and distributed in Brussels following a meeting yesterday, Sunday, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, between the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf; the President of the European Council, António Costa; the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the secretariats of the three organizations. The statement read: “The three organizations affirmed their support for multilateralism as the most effective way to address today’s challenges. They condemned the increasing disrespect for international humanitarian law and human rights law. They discussed peace efforts in Africa, including the need to end the devastating war in Sudan by intensifying collective support and coordination towards an inclusive political dialogue aimed at an immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustainable solution to the conflict. They also discussed measures to strengthen the fight against terrorist armed groups and promote reconciliation and development in the Sahel region. They affirmed their support for the UN roadmap to revive the political process in Libya and renewed their commitment to addressing the issue of migration in line with international humanitarian and human rights standards, including through the AU-EU-UN Tripartite Taskforce on the Situation of Migrants and Refugees in Libya. They expressed their support for ongoing international and regional peace initiatives in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in line with the communiqué adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council during its 1261st meeting on 14 February 2025 and UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025). They reaffirmed their support to the African Union Mission for Support and Stabilization in Somalia (AMISOM), and urged continued and expanded donor contributions to ensure the Mission's effective implementation of its mandate. Furthermore, they exchanged views on the ongoing reviews of peace operations aimed at more efficiently addressing emerging challenges in Africa and beyond. They welcomed these efforts and called for further progress in operationalizing Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) on the prospective financing of African Union-led peace support operations, on a case-by-case basis.
The three organizations affirmed their collective commitment to promoting durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They noted the deepening of the Africa-Europe partnership, in line with their shared Vision 2030 and the upcoming African Union-European Union Summit, scheduled for November 2025 in Luanda, Angola.
The three organizations emphasized the importance of implementing the Seville Commitment to facilitate development financing, stimulate investment, and address developing countries' debt challenges. They expressed concern about The worsening disruptions caused by climate change around the world, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable populations, called for ambitious commitments at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), scheduled to be held in Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025. Furthermore, the organizations commemorated the 25th anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security and committed to accelerating women's leadership and full, equal, and meaningful participation in peacebuilding processes.
The three organizations agreed to meet again in 2026, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.