African Union and UN Agree to Deepen Security Cooperation

 African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and UN Secretary-General António Guterres have agreed to deepen cooperation between the organizations on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, the AU reported on September 21 following the meeting.

"[The sides] emphasized the need to strengthen the African peace and security architecture, as well as to enhance preventive diplomacy and mediation," the statement read.

The head of the AU Commission and the UN Secretary-General emphasized the strategic importance of AU-UN cooperation and discussed the situation in the Sahel region, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Youssouf and Guterres also addressed the reform of the international financial architecture, which would help overcome the economic crisis on the continent.

"[They] expressed concern about external shocks, including conflicts and ... disruptions to global supply chains, ... which are putting pressure on African economies and food security," the document stated.

Earlier in September, Dagmawit Moges Bekele, Director of the AU Peace Fund Secretariat, told African Initiative that the AU hopes to strengthen relations and build a solid partnership with Russia.