China thanks Mr. Menkerios, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union for his briefing.

Last week, the eleventh annual consultative meeting of the Security Council and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council was successfully convened in Addis Ababa. Members of the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council had an in-depth and frank discussion on issues of common concern to both Councils. This has brought about a close partnership between the United Nations and the AU. China welcomes this and, once again, extends its appreciation to the AU and Ethiopia for its meticulous preparation and thoughtful arrangement for this year’s annual meeting.

For a long time, the AU and other subregional organizations in Africa endeavored to promote unity among African countries and played an important role in maintaining peace and stability and promoting regional economic and social development in Africa. They made a great contribution to the United Nations goal of fostering peace and development. China commends those efforts.

At present, the overall situation in Africa is stable with good development momentum. At the same time, as stated in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2017/744), there are challenges facing peace and stability and economic and social development in Africa. Greater close cooperation between the United Nations and the AU is needed.

First, both sides should further enhance targeted cooperation and raise the efficiency of such cooperation. This past April the Secretary-General and Chairperson of the AU signed the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for an Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security in which four key areas of cooperation were identified: preventing and mediating conflicts and sustaining peace, responding to conflict, addressing root causes, and continuous review and enhancement of the partnership between the United Nations and the AU. For the next phase of work, both sides should bring into a full play their respective comparative advantages and accelerate the implementation of the Framework.

Secondly, both sides should further expand their fields of cooperation and help Africa tackle its fundamental issues. Supporting Africa’s economic and social development is an important thrust of enhanced cooperation between the two sides in the future. It is also an important means of helping Africa to resolve the roots of conflicts. The United Nations should closely integrate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The international community is urged to prioritize assistance and investment in health care, education, trade and connectivity and other infrastructure areas to help enhance the economic and social development of African countries.

Thirdly, the Security Council and AU Peace and Security Council should further play their leading role. Supporting capacity-building in Africa’s peace and security is a key area for an enhanced United Nations-AU partnership. The AU Peace and Security Council’s operations are an important complement to United Nations peacekeeping operations. The Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council should further communicate and coordinate with each other and quickly establish a mechanism for joint planning, decision-making, assessment and reporting, joint early warning on crises, strategic review, mandate authorization and deployment. The Security Council should provide more support and assistance in providing predictable, stable and sustainable funding and enhancing African countries’ capacity-building in security.

China has consistently and resolutely supported Africa’s peace and development. President Xi Jinping of China proposed five pillars and ten cooperation programs in building China’s relationship with Africa. The Belt and Road Initiative is also conducive to the development of Africa.

China will maintain its approach of extensive consultations, joint efforts and shared benefits. It will closely corporate with African countries and continue to assist and support Africa in enhancing its capacity-building in peace and security, resolving its regional hotspot issues more quickly, and achieving peace, stability and development on the African continent.