UNOAU coordinated a meeting between the Permanent Representative of Algeria to the AU and AUPSC Chairperson in May, Ambassador Salah Ehamdi, and the Permanent Representative of China and UNSC President in May, Ambassador Zhang Jun.

The monthly meeting was convened to provide an opportunity for the AUPSC Chairperson and the UNSC President to share insights of the Programs of Work of the month for the respective Councils, and it also allowed an exchange of views on matters of common interest and opportunities for further strengthening the UN-AU partnership in peace and security. At the meeting, Ambassador Zhang Jun put an emphasis on multilateralism, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; strengthening UN institutional capacities and protecting peacekeepers; and harnessing the potentials of emerging technologies and guarding against abuse of the technologies by terrorists.

With specific reference to the African continent, he briefed on the planned UNSC meetings in May. He welcomed the positive developments in Libya and expressed concern on the challenges being faced in Mali-Sahel, Somalia, Chad, Mozambique, South Sudan and in the DRC. He called for strengthening of the role of the AU and RECs/RMs; addressing root causes of conflict in Africa, with a focus on the principle of African solutions to African problems; and strengthening collaboration with AUPSC and the A3. Ambassador Salah Elhamdi briefed thoroughly on the Council’s Program of Work in May. He further called for greater involvement of Civil Society Organizations in the Somalia situation and promised close follow-up on the High-Level meeting at which Somali political actors will deliberate on the organization of the next elections.