Statement by H.E. Ambassador SHINO Mitsuko, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Security Council Briefing on “Cooperation between the United Nations and Regional and Subregional Organizations (AU)”

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October 2, 2024

Thank you, Madam President.

I thank SRSG Onanga-Anyanga, Permanent Observer of the AU Ambassador Mohammed, and ASG Pobee for their insightful briefings.

The partnership between the United Nations and the African Union has been strengthening over the years in maintaining international peace and security, with regular meetings and briefings by senior officials of the respective organizations to the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the UN Security Council. However, considering the complexity and multilayered challenges the continent faces, more should be done to improve this partnership.

Today, I want to highlight three points.

First, further coordination and cooperation among the UN, the AU, regional economic communities, regional mechanisms, and international partners are essential. Japan welcomes the ongoing efforts such as the initiative to develop new mechanisms for strategic coordination within the context of the AU-UN Framework on the implementation of Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030, and other coordinating initiatives in Sudan, South Sudan, the Great Lakes, and Libya, as illustrated in the Secretary General’s Report, and encourages such cooperation to be strengthened.

Japan also appreciates the facilitating and coordinating role of the A3 on issues of particular interest to Africa at this Council. On this note, Japan reaffirms its strong support for the Common African Position on UN Security Council reform. Furthermore, we voted in favour of Security Council resolution 2719 which addresses the perennial challenge of enhancing the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing for AU-led peace support operations (AUPSOs). We look forward to having a frank discussion on its implementation with our AUPSC counterparts during the Informal Joint Seminar to be held later this month.

One of the points Japan highlighted throughout the negotiation process in considering any specific authorization of AUPSOs was the prioritization of conflict prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes.

This brings me to my second point, conflict prevention. Once a conflict occurs, its impact is devastating and the political, social, economic, and humanitarian costs are high. As the name of the Security Council’s Ad-Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa denotes, conflict prevention should take centre stage in both organizations’ regular exchanges and cooperation initiatives. Especially now that the Pact for the Future has been adopted by consensus, reaffirming our commitment to preventative diplomacy, and recognizing the importance of the UN’s partnerships with regional and subregional organisations to prevent and resolve conflicts, more can and should be done.

Conflict prevention should be incorporated into discussions at all levels and all fora within and outside the UN, including the Peacebuilding Commission, the AU, sub-regional mechanisms, and regional and international financial institutions, to implement preventive measures on the ground. The same goes for thematic issues such as WPS, YPS, human rights, rule of law, security sector reform, and sustainable development.

Third, we must recognize the impact of climate change on peace and security in Africa. As shown in recent catastrophic droughts and floods that hit the continent, the adverse effects of climate change amplify existing security risks. This, in turn, could fuel violence, including between farmers and herders, and could also increase recruitment by terrorist or violent extremist groups. Cooperation between the UN and AU on these issues has been deepening and the AU Member States are developing the Common African Position on Climate Change, Peace and Security, which Japan welcomes. It is high time for the Security Council to incorporate climate, peace, and security in our deliberations and to deepen dialogue and enhance partnership between the UN, AU, and regional frameworks.

Thank you, Madam President.

 

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