Paste President Emmanuel Macron announced that a conference on financing the African Union’s peace efforts will take place in Paris by the end of this year during his visit to Ethiopia.
This week, Macron is on a five-day tour of Africa, which includes a two-day economic summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
On Wednesday, he engaged in informal discussions with AU Chairman Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
He stated that “an international conference to raise additional funds and mobilize new public and private partners” for the African Union Peace Fund is scheduled for the last quarter of this year in Paris.
Established in 1993 by the AU’s predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, the fund relies on contributions from AU member states, the private sector, and individuals. It faced a two-decade halt until 2018, raising approximately $400 million in 2024.
Macron emphasized the need for effective implementation of UN Resolution 2719, adopted in 2023, which mandates contributions from UN member states to finance AU peace operations.
During his tour, Macron expressed his desire for the AU to enhance its peacekeeping capabilities and develop its mediation efforts.
He reaffirmed his support for permanent seats for Africa on the UN Security Council and plans to discuss mediation efforts in the conflict-affected eastern Democratic Republic of Congo with the UN and AU.
Additionally, he invited Kenya’s President William Ruto to represent Africa at next month’s G7 meeting in France and mentioned that Paris would assist Africa in addressing the impacts of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Macron noted that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affects the entire global economy, particularly impacting the African continent, although he did not provide further details on the initiative.
