The United Nations secretary-general has called for action to prioritize peacekeeping in Africa, including promoting the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative.
Secretary-General António Guterres made the recommendation at U.N. Headquarters in New York after the ninth conference between the global body and the AU.
“Cooperation between our organizations has never been stronger — or more necessary,” Guterres said at a news briefing alongside the chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. “Our world is in turmoil, rocked by deadly conflicts, widening inequalities, climate chaos and runaway technologies. The impacts are felt deeply on the African continent.”
Guterres said the partners are working closely on peacekeeping programs, including the AU’s peace initiative. Silencing the Guns in Africa is a flagship program aiming to end all conflicts, violent acts and gender-based violence, while fostering peace and development across the continent. The program was launched in 2013 with a 2020 goal, but the timeline was extended to 2030. It focuses on addressing root causes of instability through disarmament, political dialogue and socioeconomic development.
The AU has a peace plan called the Lusaka Master Roadmap, adopted in 2016. It provides a framework for addressing the causes of conflict by focusing on five interlinked areas: political governance, economic development, societal cohesion, environmental sustainability, and peace and security. The research group Amani Africa says the road map “emphasizes strengthening conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms, advancing post-conflict reconstruction, addressing governance and economic drivers of conflict, fostering democracy and the rule of law and curbing the proliferation of illicit arms.”
Guterres said he supports Africa having permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council, “correcting once and for all an intolerable injustice faced by the African continent.” He also stressed the need for financing for development and innovations, saying that the continent’s progress “is held back by an outdated and unfair global financial system.”
“The world must not turn its back on Africa, home to nearly one-fifth of humanity,” the U.N. chief said, warning that “the stakes are too high. And the potential is too great.”