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T. Antonio: Address to World Summit 2014
Written by Amb. Tete Antonio, Permanent Representative of the African Union to the United Nations
Monday, August 11, 2014
Address to World Summit 2014, Seoul, Korea, August 9-13, 2014
This meeting is taking place in an environment in which threats to human security and human development throughout the African continent have been on the rise, adversely impacting on the lives of millions of fellow Africans. In the past couple of years, the African continent has recorded an unprecedented number of insurgencies, border disputes, military coups and other forms of unconstitutional changes of governments. This has profoundly illustrated the nexus between peace and security and development.
The quest for peace, development and prosperity on the continent has clearly not been without challenges but we are encouraged by the good investments made in these critical areas through the established Africa-owned and led instruments and initiatives which have yielded requisite dividends. However, recent experiences challenged us to remain steadfast and resolute. Indeed, our resolve continues to be tested both internally and externally.
The internal shocks are occasioned by the resurgence of coups d’etat arising from unconstitutional changes of government as well as internal strifes arising from contested elections results. Thanks to renewed commitment, a proactive and unified stance, continental efforts have led to successes while others are cautiously moving towards positive solutions.
The challenges of an external nature reside in our pursuit of genuine “win-win” partnerships which we continue to nurture and strengthen given the high importance we attach to these partnerships. It would be remiss of me, at this juncture not to recognize and appreciate the partnership between the Republic of Korea and Africa.
This brings me to the issue of cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations, the evolution of this partnership and the future prospects.
The African Union-UN partnership operates at two levels, notably at the institutional level and at the level of the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council. This partnership is premised on the recognition of the need for a stronger partnership in tackling the issue of peace, security and human development, having due regard for the primacy of the UN Security Council for maintenance of international peace and security and that of the African Union Peace and Security Council with regard to the promotion of peace and security in Africa as provided in the African Union Protocol establishing the Peace and Security Council. This partnership is further reaffirmed by the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations on the role of regional arrangements in the settlement of local disputes.
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