AU Commission Chairperson meets UN Envoys on DR Congo, Great Lakes security

Africa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (NPA) — Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has met with senior United Nations officials to discuss the security and humanitarian situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the wider Great Lakes region.

The meeting brought together Youssouf, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), James Swan, and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia.

According to a statement issued by the African Union on Tuesday, the discussions focused on ongoing developments in eastern DRC and broader regional efforts aimed at promoting peace, security, and stability.

The officials also reviewed opportunities for deeper collaboration between the African Union and the United Nations in addressing the region’s security challenges and supporting long-term development initiatives.

The African Union said the parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between both organisations in pursuit of sustainable peace, stability, security, and economic development across the Great Lakes region.

Eastern DRC has continued to face persistent security challenges driven by the activities of armed groups, resulting in humanitarian concerns and regional instability.