African Union

09/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/20/2026 16:19

#UNGA81 AUC Chairperson joined high-level trilateral AU-EU-UN engagement

On the margins of #UNGA81, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, joined H.E. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, H.E. António Costa, President of the European Council, & H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, for a high-level trilateral AU-EU-UN engagement in New York.

The meeting underscored the importance of stronger multilateral cooperation at a time of growing geopolitical pressures & shared global challenges, reaffirming the interconnectedness of Africa & Europe & the centrality of international law & collective action.

Discussions focused on advancing cooperation on peace, security & sustainable development, with particular attention to the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea & maritime security, including efforts to prevent further escalation of conflicts & strengthen regional dialogue and mediation.

The Trilateral also addressed Africa's development financing needs & the reform of the international financial architecture, including greater use of guarantees, blended finance, the rechanneling of SDRs to multilateral development banks, & stronger African financial institutions in support of Agenda 2063.

Food security, climate resilience & early warning systems were also highlighted, including cooperation on fertilizer production & supply corridors, climate-smart agriculture, soil mapping, & the potential use of Galileo & Copernicus satellite systems to strengthen early warning capacities.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment to focused, innovative & measurable AU-EU-UN cooperation, with follow-up arrangements envisaged to review progress & advance concrete deliverables.

@UN @EU_Commission @EUCouncil @vonderleyen @eucopresident

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