European Commission
- The European Union, the African Union, and the United Nations convened for their Seventh Trilateral Meeting, reaffirming their shared commitment to effective multilateralism and discussing cooperation on peace and security with a focus on the Horn of Africa, sustainable development and food security. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council António Costa, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres met on 20 September 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, along with senior officials from the three organizations.
- The three organizations reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to a renewed, effective and strengthened multilateralism, rooted in international law, including the universal purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. They expressed support for United Nations reform across the three pillars of peace and security, human rights and sustainable development, while advocating for sustainable financing for the United Nations system. They underscored the importance of more inclusive, representative and equitable multilateral institutions and organs, including the United Nations Security Council, reflecting contemporary global realities. They further underscored the importance of strengthening Africa's voice and effective participation in global governance structures and international decision-making processes. They committed to deepening trilateral cooperation across all three pillars of the United Nations, in support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Union's Agenda 2063.
- The leaders raised concern over the evolving situation in the Horn of Africa and the recent escalation in the Red Sea that is severely disrupting freedom of navigation, global energy and food supply chains. They expressed support for the continuing efforts of the African Union to advance dialogue in Ethiopia and the implementation of the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (Pretoria Agreement). On Somalia, they reaffirmed their support for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, commending the commitment of the African Union, the sacrifice of the contributing countries and the substantial support provided by the European Union. They stressed the importance of an orderly and sustainable security transition in the country. On South Sudan, they expressed concern over the political, security and humanitarian situation in the country and called for a national consensus towards a peaceful transition in accordance with the Revitalized Peace Agreement. On the Sudan, they condemned the continuation of the conflict and stressed their commitment to a coordinated international approach, including through the Quintet aimed at supporting an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process and securing an immediate and durable ceasefire.
- In a complex peace and security landscape, they stressed the value that the full spectrum of peace operations deployed by the United Nations and the African Union provide across the continent for sustainable peace. They called for continued efforts in advancing the operationalization and utilization of Security Council resolution 2719 (2023) on predictable financing of African Union-led peace support operations, and for strengthening regional ownership as outlined in the Review on the future of all forms of United Nations peace operations.
- The leaders of the three organizations reaffirmed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the Sevilla Commitment as the shared framework for financing sustainable development. They acknowledged the concerning drop in ODA commitments from some of the largest donor governments, the damaging impact this has had on humanitarian, climate and health financing, and the need to preserve the spirit of cooperation that underpins the Sustainable Development Goals. They highlighted the need to mobilize both public and private investment to bridge the financing gap. In this context, they welcomed the Global Gateway and stressed the importance of directing investment towards partner priorities, including energy, connectivity, education and health. They urged continued action to reduce debt distress and broaden and enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in the international financial and economic institutions. In this regard, they underscored the need to address the disproportionately high cost of capital faced by African countries and welcomed ongoing African-led efforts to advance sustainable debt solutions as well as inclusive international financial architecture.
- Recognizing the particular financing constraints facing African countries, they called for stronger domestic resource mobilization, effective curbing of illicit financial flows, and improved access to affordable international finance, in support of sustainable infrastructure, energy and digital transformation and the acceleration of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and African Union's Agenda 2063. They agreed to continue constructive cooperation toward a more inclusive and effective international tax system. They further stressed the importance of strengthening African financial institutions and mobilizing African public and private capital to support the continent's development priorities.
- The three organizations expressed concern over the fragile global food security landscape and the deteriorating situation in several parts of the world, driven by climate shocks, including El Niño as well as conflict and disrupted navigation and supply chains, notably in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Black Sea. They reaffirmed that food security is inseparable from peace, stability and sustainable development. They underscored the importance of ensuring reliable and affordable access to fertilizer and other critical agricultural inputs, while strengthening Africa's capacity for local production and regional distribution, in order to reduce external vulnerabilities and enhance agricultural productivity. They pledged continued support for climate-resilient agriculture, regional value chains and emergency humanitarian food assistance. They called for sustained investment in smallholder farmers, agribusiness, irrigation, early warning and social protection systems to build long-term resilience and lasting food security for all.
- The three organizations reiterated the importance of strengthening their cooperation and agreed to reconvene in 2027, on the margins of the 82nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
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