On 27 April, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN and President of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the month of April, Vasily Nebenzya, and the Ambassador of Tunisia to Ethiopia and the AU and Chair of the AUPSC for April, Abdelhamid Gharbi, held the monthly informal meeting of the President and Chairperson of the respective Councils.

Ambassador Gharbi expressed appreciation to the UNSC for its attention to Africa, including on the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the UN Secretary-General’s report on financing of AU-led peace support operations (PSOs). He also shared insights on the Libya peace and reconciliation process and underscored the need for dialogue. He expressed concern about the security developments in Sudan and highlighted the AU and AUC Chairperson’s ‘good offices’ interventions and related ongoing multilateral initiatives to get Sudan’s transition back on track. 

Ambassador Nebenzya reaffirmed the UNSC’s continued attention to global peace and security and Africa’s concerns in relation to ensuring predictable, reliable and flexible financial and material support for AU-led PSOs and welcomed the progress on the processes for the operationalization of the AU Peace Fund. He also expressed concern about the developments in the Sudan and highlighted steps the UNSC is taking towards mitigating escalation. He also underscored the UNSC’s commitment to address the issue of Africa’s equitable representation at the UNSC, as part of the overall reform process of the UNSC. Both Ambassadors agreed on the need for early preparations for the 2023 Annual Joint Consultative Meeting of the Councils, due to be held in the fourth quarter of the year.

UNOAU works with the AU Peace and Security Council Secretariat to coordinate the monthly meeting of the principals of the two councils, UNSC and AUPSC