COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1340^th meeting held on 20 April 2026 on briefing by the African members of the United Nations Security Council (A3) on its Activities;

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling Articles 3(a) and (d) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU), which emphasize the importance of greater unity and solidarity among African countries and promoting and  also the importance of defending African common positions, as well as Article 7(3) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), which underscores Member States’ commitment to implement PSC decisions;

Acknowledging the critical importance of enhanced cooperation, cohesion, and coordinated action among the A3 within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as success factors in promoting the AU peace and security agenda for the Continent;

Also recalling all Assembly decisions on the A3, in particular, Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.598 (XXVI)] adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its 26^th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, from 30 to 31 January 2016,  in which the Assembly reaffirmed the special responsibility of the A3 in ensuring that PSC decisions are effectively reflected in UNSC decision-making process and requested regular reporting on activities of the A3, through the PSC, to the Assembly on the promotion of African common positions;  Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.815 (XXXV)] adopted by the AU Assembly at its 35^th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, from 5 to 6 February 2022, in which the Assembly emphasized the importance of ensuring implementation of the Conclusions of the Annual High Level Seminar on the Promotion of Peace and Security in Africa (Oran Process), in their letter and spirit; and Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.916 (XXXVIII)] adopted by the AU Assembly at its 38^th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, from 14 to 15 February 2025, in which the Assembly underscored the need for Africa to speak with one voice, ensure respect for AU decisions, and commended the efforts of the A3+ in advancing and defending Africa’s interests within the UNSC;

Further recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the Activities of the A3, in particular, Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1322 (2025)] adopted at its 1322^nd meeting held on 27 December 2025 on Consideration of the Conclusions of the 12^th High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa (Oran Process); Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1299 (2025)] adopted at its 1299^th meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 29 August 2025; Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1289 (2025)] adopted at its 1289^th meeting held on 24 July 2025, on Consideration of the Draft Manual on the Modalities for Enhancing Coordination between the PSC and the African Members of the United Nations Security Council (A3)  in which Council called for strengthened consultation, coordination, and implementation of modalities between the PSC and the A3+; Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1259 (2025)] adopted at its 1259^th meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 5 February 2025; and Communiqué  [PSC/AHG/COMM/1(CCCXCVII)] adopted at its 397^th meeting held in New York, at the level of Heads of State and Government on 23 September 2013 on the Strategic Partnership Between the AU and the UN in the area of Peace and Security;

Taking note of the Opening Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Hirut Zemene, Permanent Representative of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for April 2026; and the Introductory Statement by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security;

Also taking note of the Briefing by H.E. Ambassador Zenon Mukongo Ngay, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations as Coordinator of the A3; and the statement by H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Edrees, Permanent Observer of the AU to the UN in New York; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

1. Takes note of the briefing provided by the A3 Coordinator on the activities of the African Members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), as well as the update on developments relating to peace and security issues on the agenda of the UNSC;

2. Underlines the primary responsibility of the United Nations Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter and the Protocol relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council;

3. Commends the efforts of the A3 in promoting, defending and advancing Common African Positions within the UNSC, and reaffirms the role of the A3 as the principal vehicle for articulating and projecting Africa’s collective voice in the UNSC on international peace and security issues particularly those of concern and interest to Africa;

4. Reiterates the imperative of maintaining unity, cohesion and collective discipline within the A3, particularly in the context of increasing geopolitical polarization and external pressures within the UNSC, and underscores that African unity remains the foundation of effective engagement in the Council;

5. Underscores the importance of establishing a digital platform between the PSC and the A3 to ensure critical real-time information sharing ahead of coordinated meetings, particularly to support timely and effective responses during emergency or extraordinary sessions;

6. Stresses the importance of timely and proactive engagement between the PSC and the A3, and in this regard, requests that deliberations of the PSC on African peace and security issues precede, to the extent possible, discussions of the same issues within the UNSC, in order to provide clear and strategic continental guidance;

7. Underlines the need for enhanced coordination and coherence between the PSC and the A3, in line with the conclusions of the Oran Process and the Manual on the Modalities for Enhancing Coordination between the PSC and the A3, including through strengthened information-sharing and regular consultations at all levels; and in this context, reiterates the importance of improved sequencing of the UNSC and the PSC meetings including ensuring that all PSC decisions and positions on African issues under consideration by the UNSC are transmitted in a timely manner to the A3, to inform their engagement, negotiations and advocacy in New York;

8. Encourages the A3 to assume greater responsibility in shaping UNSC outcomes on African files, including through increased engagement in pen-holding and co-pen-holding arrangements on African files and all files of interest and concern to Africa, with a view to ensuring that African perspectives and priorities are adequately reflected in the decisions of the Security Council;

9. Also reiterates the importance of implementing the AU decisions and Common African Positions within the UNSC, and encourages the A3 to continue to promote and defend these positions consistently in all circumstances;

10. Stresses the need for ensuring accelerated implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) on the financing of AU-led peace support operations, and in this regard, encourages sustained advocacy by the A3;

11. Further reiterates the importance of further strengthening the role of the A3 as a strategic instrument for advancing African agency, leadership and influence in global peace and security governance, including in the context of ongoing discussions on the reform of the United Nations Security Council;

12. Underscores the importance of navigating evolving geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics in a manner that safeguards Africa’s strategic autonomy and interests, while maintaining principled positions anchored in the Charter of the United Nations and relevant AU frameworks;

13. Calls for strengthened engagement and enhanced coordination between the A3 and the wider Africa Group in New York, and also with the rest of the Members of the global South within the framework of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) with a view to consolidating common African positions, enhancing collective leverage and ensuring coherence in the promotion of Africa’s interests and priorities at the multilateral level, including in the ongoing processes towards the selection of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations;

14. Underscores the importance of regular briefings by the A3 to the PSC, on a quarterly basis, and as may be necessary, on African issues under consideration by the UNSC, in order to facilitate regular information-sharing, strategic guidance and enhanced coordination between Addis Ababa and New York; and directs the Commission to assess the feasibility of conducting one of the quarterly briefings at the AU Headquarters;

15. Directs the AU Commission to develop, in full respect of AU Assembly Decisions, a Matrix of Common African Positions, on peace and security matters, to be considered and adopted by the Council, in line with established rules and procedures, for use by the A3 as references in promoting common African interests in the decision-making process of the UNSC;

16. Also directs the Commission to develop, in full respect of AU Assembly Decisions, an Annual Plan of Action for advancing Common African positions on peace and security matters, and PSC decisions in the resolutions of the UN Security Council;

17. Commends the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (AUPOM), as the A3 Secretariat, for providing technical, administrative and logistical support to the A3, for developing the A3 institutional memory and for its integration into the PAPS mainstream Repository, as well as the finalization of a documentary on the A3, in order to preserve lessons learned and ensure continuity, enhancing coordination mechanisms and facilitating smooth transitions between outgoing, current and incoming A3 members;

18. Requests the AU Commission to continue to further strengthen the institutional capacity of the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (AUPOM), by availing the required resources that enable the Mission to more effectively discharge its mandate;

19. Takes note of the need to invite the A3 to participate in PSC meetings on crisis and conflict situations that are on the agenda of the UNSC, as well as on pertinent thematic issues relating to peace and security in Africa;

20. Welcomes the inclusion of A3 activities in the 2025 Annual Report of the PSC to the 39^th Assembly of the Union, and calls for the maintenance of the practice in order to reinforce institutional linkages and recognition of the A3;

21. Also calls for enhanced collaboration and cooperation, including regular interactions, between the PSC Committee of Experts and the experts of the A3 (Ad hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa), with a view to strengthening analytical capacity and supporting informed decision-making and negotiations within the UNSC;

22. Looks forward to the successful convening of the 13^th edition of the High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa (Oran Process), from 1 to 2 December 2026, in Algiers, Algeria; and

23. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

 

COMMENTS