The Deputy Secretary-General at the United Nations (UN), Mrs
Amina Mohammed has called for strengthening the relationship between the
African Union (AU) and UN, to strengthen the promised development for Africa’s
youth, reports NaijaAgroNet.
In her address at African Union Summit, Ms. Mohammed said
that the AU’s thematic focus this year on youth is a “powerful reminder” of the
core principle at the heart of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development, the AU’s strategic framework known
as Agenda 2063 and other global agreements, namely, creating a better world for
the next generation.
“For the 226 million young people aged 15 to 24 living in
Africa today, these agendas address challenges and opportunities that are
integral to their futures,” she said.
“Today you are here taking decisions that will ensure that
Africa benefits from the full potential of all its people, including young
women and men,” she added, in a nod to this year’s theme of Harnessing the Demographic Dividend
through investments in Youth.
“Investing in our youth today reaps the dividend of a
peaceful and prosperous Africa tomorrow.”
Addressing leaders from across the continent who have
gathered at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ms. Mohammed called
for “building new bridges between us, and fortifying the ones that already
exist” to deliver on the promises of the development agenda for Africa and its
people.
In April, the UN-AU annual conference in New York resulted
in a joint framework for enhanced partnership on peace and security. The two
organizations are now preparing a joint framework on sustainable development,
focusing on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and of Agenda 2063, according
to Ms. Mohammed.
She also noted that the UN will be collaborating with the AU
on a new UN-European Union initiative to be launched at the UN General Assembly
this September to end gender-based violence around the world.
The deputy UN chief also highlighted some of the other areas
where the UN and the AU are working more closely, including on efforts to
enhance the UN’s partnership with Africa’s regional economic communities in
areas of peacekeeping, elections and democratic transitions.
Secretary-General António
Guterres recently reiterated the need for “predictable, reliable and
sustainable” financing for AU peace operations, and is said to be working on a
set of concrete proposals for the UN Security Council.
“Our efforts should continue to be based on urgency,
flexibility and innovation to improve complementarity, cost-effectiveness and
impact,” Mohammed said.
She also echoed Mr. Guterres’ call at the G7 summit in
Italy, where he urged world leaders to invest in young people, with stronger
investment in technology, relevant education and capacity-building in Africa.
“The challenge of strengthening Africa’s human capital,
starting with its young people, has galvanized commitments to promote their
rights and invest in quality and relevant education at all levels, health,
science and technology and innovation,” said Ms. Mohammed.
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