On 5 August, Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of August, and Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Khaled, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the African Union and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council for August, convened their informal monthly consultative meeting. This meeting was facilitated by the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

Ambassador Khaled provided an overview of the AUPSC’s August Programme of Work, structured around three priorities: (i) assessment of threats to peace and security on the continent; (ii) a field mission to South Sudan; and (iii) institutional consultations with AU organs and mechanisms.

Ambassador de Alba outlined the UNSC’s August programme, including Panama’s signature high-level open debate on “Maritime Security: Prevention, Innovation, and International Cooperation to Address Emerging Challenges”, to be chaired by President José Raúl Mulino of Panama. The Council was also set to hold its annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence.

Both Ambassadors reaffirmed the importance of complementarity and regular consultation, including ahead of the UNSC sessions on UNMISS and UNSMIL. They took note of the upcoming AUPSC–UNSC Informal Seminar and the Annual Joint Consultative Meeting scheduled for October in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the Russian Federation’s presidency of the UNSC.