Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
During a meeting in Addis Ababa, UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to discuss cooperation on peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights. Guterres indicated this may be his last AU-UN summit as Secretary-General and reaffirmed strong ties between the UN and the African Union through a signed declaration to institutionalize cooperation.
Guterres described the African Union as a flagship for multilateralism in Africa and a collective voice for justice among developing nations, highlighting the continent's significance and potential. He referenced the 2024 Pact for the Future, which emphasizes the role of regional organizations like the AU and calls for reform of the UN Security Council to reflect current global realities. Guterres labeled Africa’s lack of permanent Security Council representation as a historical injustice and stated that this reform is essential for the Council’s legitimacy and effectiveness.
The Secretary-General also criticized the international financial architecture for perpetuating inequalities, noting that many African countries face borrowing costs up to three times higher than benchmark rates. This diverts public funds from critical sectors such as water, sanitation, health, and education. He praised African efforts, including the African Development Bank's initiative to develop a New African Financial Architecture for Development aimed at unifying African financial institutions.
On climate change, Guterres emphasized that Africa suffers the most severe consequences despite contributing least to the crisis. While acknowledging that the 1.5°C global temperature limit may be temporarily exceeded, he stressed this is not irreversible and called for increased adaptation financing and improved energy policies.