President,
I thank Special Representative Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees, and Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee for their briefings.
The United Nations is the most universal, representative, and authoritative international intergovernmental organization, while the African Union is the most important regional organization on the African continent. The UN-AU partnership constitutes a major pillar of the international system and is of great significance to promoting peace, security, development, and prosperity in Africa. Last September, the draft resolution on the cooperation between the UN and the AU, co-sponsored by China, was adopted by the General Assembly with an overwhelming majority, reactivating this item after 12 years. This is not only a response to the strong aspirations of African countries, but also a strong message of our times sent by the vast majority of member states in support of multilateralism.
Africa is the largest continent in terms of the number of countries and the second largest in terms of area and population. African countries have freed themselves from the yoke of colonialism and achieved national independence, which has reshaped the international political landscape and greatly enhanced the universality and representativeness of the UN. Africa is endowed with rich natural resources and abundant human resources and enjoys strong development momentum. African countries are speeding up continental integration through joint efforts towards self-reliance, development, and revitalization, enabling them to play an increasingly pivotal role in international affairs. That said, as a result of historical injustice and external intervention, Africa remains deeply affected by regional conflicts and terrorism. Its development potential is yet to be fully released. The international community should help Africa eradicate the damaging legacy of the past, stay clear of geopolitical manipulation, and make up for the lost ground in development capacity, so that Africa could catch up with the times and contribute more to world peace and development.
President,
Strengthening UN-AU cooperation serves the common interest of both Africa and the international community. I would like to share four points.
First, it is imperative to resolve regional hotspot issues and maintain peace and stability in Africa. At present, the African continent is far from a tranquil place, with conflicts in Sudan and the DRC ongoing, the counter-terrorism situation in Somalia and the Sahel region grim, and the political and security situation in many countries unstable. The UN and this Council should assist the AU and subregional organizations in their active mediation efforts, with a view to finding African solutions to African problems. At the same time, the UN and this Council should play their role through timely assistance and synergy. The international community should respect the sovereignty and ownership of African countries, refrain from external interference and pressure or indiscriminate unilateral sanctions, so as to create a sound external environment for conflict resolution.
Second, it is imperative to support AU-led efforts and strengthen Africa's capacity-building. Peace must be locally rooted and regionally owned. China stands for adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding for AU peace support operations and the early operationalization of Council Resolution 2719. Traditional donors should increase their input. The international community should scale up assistance in technology and information, among others, to help Africa with capacity-building and self-reliance. China believes that the United Nations Office to the African Union and the UN missions in Africa should enhance communication and cooperation with host countries, and in conjunction with the UN80 Initiative, focus on core mandates and be responsive to the changes on the ground, for the sake of better quality and efficiency.
Third, it is imperative to support Africa in achieving sustainable development and addressing the root causes of conflicts. Without development, peace would be like a river without source or a tree without roots. The 2030 Agenda of the UN and Agenda 2063 of the AU must be aligned with development sitting at the core in the cooperation with Africa. African countries must get support in exploring a modernization path suitable for their national conditions, and must be assisted in their efforts towards poverty eradication, universal education, health care, job creation, and people's well-being. Women and youth should continue to benefit from socioeconomic development, stay immune to the incitement of terrorist and extremist ideology, thus tackling the root causes of violence and conflict. Developed countries should fulfill in earnest their commitments to development assistance and climate financing, and stop cutting off funding and shirking responsibilities.
Fourth, it is imperative to improve the global governance system and address the historical injustice to Africa. With Africa experiencing a new awakening, the global governance system should keep abreast of the times. President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Governance Initiative, stressing core concepts such as sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and real actions, with a view to bridging the global governance deficit and making the global governance system fairer and more equitable. Reform of international financial architecture must be accelerated to reflect more accurately the changes in the world economy. It is important to ensure that AI, big data, and other emerging technologies should be for good and for all and help inject strong impetus into Africa's economic growth. China firmly supports Africa's larger role in the international arena, Africa's greater representation and louder voice in the multilateral governance system, and the A3's penholdership or joint penholdership on African issues.
President,
In September last year, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held the Beijing Summit, ushering in a new chapter of the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. Both parties are now focusing on implementing the consensus of the summit and actively delivering on the 10 partnership actions. China will continue to take concrete actions to bolster UN-AU cooperation and further contribute to peace and development in Africa and a community with a shared future for humanity.
Next week, the Council and AUPSC will hold their annual joint consultative meeting. China looks forward and stays committed to enhancing coordination and cooperation between the two bodies to jointly safeguard peace and security in Africa and better respond to global challenges.
Thank you, President.