Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Madam President,
As this is the first formal meeting of October, allow me to warmly congratulate Greece on assuming the Presidency and thank France for their steadfast leadership throughout the busy month of September.
Let me also thank SRSG Onanga-Anyanga and Senior Advisor Alghali for your valuable insights and for demonstrating the depth of this important partnership. Africa faces multiple crises. Latest with the tensions in the Horn of Africa. From combatting terrorism to ending armed conflict, ensuring inclusive peace mediation and protection of civilians, many efforts need joint action from the UN and the AU.
I will make three points.
First, when conflict responses are tailored to the specific conflict dynamics, they are more likely to sustain peace.
To achieve this objective, coordination between the AU and the UN is key.
As a longstanding partner of both the AU and the UN, Denmark fully supports the work enabling stronger and more cohesive connections between our organisations. In this regard, the work of the UN office to the AU is crucial in building bridges between Addis and New York.
That includes increasing collaboration on peace support operations, conflict prevention, mediation and the joint use of good offices as well as efforts on women, peace and security, and climate, peace and security.
This partnership can and should continue to deepen.
Second, Madam President,
We encourage continued collaboration between the AU and the UN on country and sub-regional situations.
In Somalia, the AU Support and Stabilization Mission plays an important role in addressing insecurity. Similarly, we recognise the importance of the transition of security responsibilities to the Somali National Security Forces. Denmark encourages the AU to work with TCC’s, the Federal Government of Somalia and the UN on the future direction of the AUSSOM in this context.
In Sudan, Denmark welcomes the close AU-UN collaboration aimed at supporting an inclusive political process. In this regard, we fully support the Quintet’s efforts to advance a civilian-led political process.
Across the Sahel, the threat of terrorism continues to spread. To counter this scourge, Denmark stresses the importance of regionally-led efforts including collaboration between the AU, UN and ECOWAS. We further support the efforts of the AU Mission for the Mali and the Sahel and the AU High Representative to convene and lead dialogue on the region’s security challenges.
Madam President, my third point,
For peace support operations to be effective, they need ownership, resources, partnerships and political will.
We welcome the AU and UN collaboration to support predictable financing of AU-led peace support operations and the progress made on preparations for the implementation of resolution 2719.
Three years after this landmark adoption, its potential remains untapped. Denmark is committed to supporting African-led efforts and remains ready to consider the potential use of resolution 2719 in a specific context. We encourage the AU and the UN to work towards identifying and informing this Council of concrete situations where the resolution could come into effect.
In closing, Madam President,
The strength of this partnership lies not only in our shared commitment to peace and security, but in our ability to translate that commitment into effective action.
This Council’s upcoming meeting with the AU Peace and Security Council provides an important opportunity to do just that. To deepen this commitment, and importantly to discuss concrete and joint initiatives to support peace in Africa. Denmark looks forward to engaging constructively and actively to this end.
I thank you.
