Statement by Dr Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, to the Meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council on Financing for African Union Peace Support Operations, New York, 23 September 2023
Your Excellency, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Cameroon and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of September 2023,
Your Excellency, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye,
Esteemed Members of the African Union Peace and Security Council,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me first congratulate the Republic of Cameroon for assuming the chairship of the PSC for the month of September 2023 and equally assure you of South Africa’s support and collaboration.
Chairperson,
The matter of financing the AU-led peace support operations which are mandated by the UNSC has been on the agenda of the AU for years and yet securing a UNSC resolution keeps eluding us.
The AU has demonstrated its political will to help finance peace and security challenges on the Continent. The January 2015 Addis Assembly decision and June 2015 Johannesburg Assembly decision 578 wherein the AU undertakes to endeavour to contribute up to 25% of the Union’s Peace support operations budget are practical examples of this political will. Additionally, the establishment of the AU Peace Fund further demonstrates this political will.
The AU is and has been involved in many costly peace support operations notwithstanding that the UN Charter gives the mandate for the maintenance of international peace and security to the UN Security Council.
The AU is carrying out these peace support operations in support of and on behalf of the UNSC. It is thus morally wrong for the UN Security Council not to support the AU-led peace support operations financially and logistically.
With the multiplicity of conflicts on the Continent, the time has come for the AU to access UN assessed contributions for the AU-led peace missions. This is the only way that will ensure predictable, sustainable, and flexible financing for these AU-led peace support operations sanctioned by the UNSC.
Chairperson,
In February 2023, the AU Assembly adopted the Consensus Paper on Predictable, Adequate and Sustainable Financing for African Union Peace and Security Activities.
With the Consensus Paper in hand and the UN Secretary General’s report on the funding of the peace support operations in Africa mandated by the UNSC, we must seize the momentum and push for the adoption of a UNSC resolution on financing AU-led peace support operations mandated by the UNSC.
To this end, we urge the A3 to continue with efforts to secure commitments for predictable, sustainable, and flexible financing of these AU Missions. We also call on the A3 to take practical steps towards the adoption of a substantive UNSC resolution in this regard. Supported by the AUC and AUPSC, the A3 must consult widely with the Africa Group in New York on this matter.
In conclusion Chairperson, this delegation supports the recommendations contained under paragraph 13 of the Concept Note.
I thank you.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
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