Dispatches from the Field: Engagements with UN and AU Officials, and Informal Joint Seminar in Addis Ababa
Yesterday morning (16 October), Security Council members began their day with meetings with UN and African Union (AU) officials in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the afternoon, they participated in the tenth informal joint seminar with the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC).
Briefing at the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU)
Council members received a briefing at the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU) from Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU and Head of UNOAU Parfait Onanga-Anyanga and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa Guang Cong. Onanga-Anyanga previously briefed the Council via videoconference (VTC) during its 7 October meeting on UN-AU cooperation, drawing on the Secretary-General’s annual report on the matter. (For more information, see the brief on UN-AU cooperation in our October 2025 Monthly Forecast.) Yesterday morning, he expanded on this topic, highlighting key aspects of the partnership in the context of the annual consultations between members of the Security Council and the AUPSC, including advancing the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda, countering terrorism, and implementing resolution 2719 of 21 December 2023 on the financing of AU-led peace support operations (AUPSOs).
Cong apparently focused on developments in the Horn of Africa. It seems that among the issues raised were the tensions surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a major hydroelectric project on the Nile River. In a letter dated 9 September, Egypt urged the Security Council to take “appropriate measures” to ensure that “Ethiopia cease[s] its unlawful unilateral practices in the Nile basin”. In a 10 September letter to the Council, Ethiopia defended its position, claiming that its use of the Nile waters is “just, legitimate, and equitable”.
Another issue raised was the heightened tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. In a letter dated 2 October addressed to the Secretary-General, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Gedion Timothewos Hessebon, alleged that there is “collusion” between the Eritrean government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which waged a two-year war against the Ethiopian government. Eritrea has rejected the allegations and accused Ethiopia of escalating rhetoric over access to the sea, a reference to Ethiopia’s alleged claims to the Eritrean port city of Assab.
Meeting with the AU Commission Chairperson
Council members also met with AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and other senior AU officials at the AU Headquarters, where they exchanged views on UN-AU cooperation on key priority areas, including peace and security, development, and governance, according to an AU press release issued after the meeting.
It seems that Council members had a particularly engaging conversation with Youssouf on a range of peace and security issues on the continent. He apparently provided a candid assessment of multiple challenges, including the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government as witnessed most recently in Madagascar. Mass protests against the government of President Andry Rajoelina culminated in the overthrow of his administration on 14 October.
The AUPSC has already met twice this week to address the situation in Madagascar. In a communiqué adopted following its 13 October meeting, the AUPSC expressed deep concern over the unfolding crisis and announced the deployment of a high-level delegation to Antananarivo to engage with Malagasy stakeholders and encourage dialogue. At its subsequent meeting on 15 October, the AUPSC decided to suspend Madagascar from all AU activities, citing the unconstitutional change of government as grounds for the decision, in line with the AU’s norms and principles.
On 16 October, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ Troika— comprising Malawi, Tanzania, and Eswatini—held an extraordinary summit to discuss the situation in Madagascar and decided to deploy a technical fact-finding mission to the country. Rajoelina had assumed the rotating chair of SADC in August, which apparently complicated the situation for the inter-governmental organisation.
Informal Joint Seminar
The tenth informal joint seminar opened with statements by Ambassador Tebelelo Boang (Botswana), Chair of the AUPSC; Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia (Russia), President of the Security Council; Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia), Chair of the Security Council Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa; AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye; and Onanga-Anyanga.
Security Council members and the AUPSC began the seminar with a discussion on the WPS agenda. They received a briefing from Liberata Mulamula, the newly appointed AU Special Envoy on WPS. The two Councils underscored the importance of landmark Security Council resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. The resolution recognises the role of women in promoting peace and security and calls for their active and effective participation in peacemaking and peacebuilding, including in conflict prevention and resolution, mediation, and peace operations at all levels.
The two Councils exchanged views on the progress and challenges of implementing resolution 1325. AUPSC members, among other things, highlighted the AU’s efforts in translating its WPS commitments into action through the development and institutionalisation of normative and policy instruments, including the Continental Results Framework, a tool developed to track progress in the implementation of the WPS agenda in Africa. They also mentioned the contributions of the Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise-Africa), a subsidiary body of the AU Panel of the Wise aimed at enhancing women’s participation in conflict prevention, mediation, and peace processes throughout Africa.
Security Council members and the AUPSC also discussed the spread of terrorism and violent extremism across various parts of Africa. They underscored the need for sustained and coordinated efforts to address the underlying conditions that enable terrorism to flourish. In this context, particular emphasis was placed on tackling the structural root causes and drivers of insecurity through an integrated approach that links peace, security, and socioeconomic development.
Finally, Security Council members and the AUPSC discussed the implementation of resolution 2719. It seems that AUPSC members reiterated their longstanding and continuing concerns about the lack of adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing for AUPSOs, and underscored the importance of expeditiously operationalising resolution 2719 to enable Africa to act as the first responder to crises on the continent. They apparently expressed regret that the Security Council was unable to approve the hybrid application of the 2719 framework to the AU Stabilization Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in May 2025. (For more information, see our 10 May What’s in Blue story.) This, they apparently noted, highlighted that political will—not technical capacity—remains the primary obstacle to implementation.
It appears that the US, which opposed the hybrid application of resolution 2719 to AUSSOM, clarified that it supports the resolution’s implementation in other contexts but cautioned against pursuing cases that may contradict its spirit. The US also emphasised the importance of burden sharing, urging the AU to demonstrate its commitment to covering 25 percent of the cost of AUPSOs. In this regard, the US apparently encouraged the AU to begin utilising the principal of the AU Peace Fund, rather than relying solely on the interest it accrues. Enhancing and supporting AUPSOs, particularly AUSSOM, will be one of the agenda items to be discussed at the 19th annual joint consultative meeting between the two Councils today (17 October).
Security Council experts have continued negotiations on the draft communiqué expected to be adopted at the conclusion of today’s annual consultative meeting. However, given the contentious nature of the discussions, it appears unlikely that the two Councils will reach agreement on a full substantive communiqué this year. In the absence of consensus on the current draft, the two Councils may consider adopting a shorter, technical communiqué as an alternative.
