Leaders from the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union have issued a joint pledge to deepen cooperation on peace, stability and sustainable development across Africa. A move framed as crucial for safeguarding progress on the continent’s development goals. The commitment follows the sixth trilateral meeting of the three organisations at UN Headquarters during the UN General Assembly high-level week.
The joint communiqué released on the 21st of September underscored a shared priority: fast-tracking African-led solutions to end conflicts that continue to drive humanitarian suffering and stall development gains in parts of the continent. The communiqué highlighted urgent attention to crises such as the war in Sudan and persistent instability in the Sahel, and called for intensified, coordinated support to secure immediate cessations of hostilities and durable political solutions.
Beyond immediate security concerns, the three partners committed to aligning their efforts with continental and global development frameworks — notably the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — calling for coordinated action to tackle debt distress, climate impacts and other systemic barriers to growth and resilience. The statement points to a strategic shift toward integrated peace-and-development programming that seeks to prevent crises before they erupt.
Financial resilience and climate action were central themes. The communiqué urged mobilising sustainable financing, improving investment flows, and responding to climate-induced shocks that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. Leaders also pressed for ambitious, concrete commitments ahead of COP30 in November, signalling that climate finance and adaptation must be central to any durable development strategy.
Looking ahead, the partners flagged upcoming diplomatic milestones — including the AU-EU Summit scheduled in Luanda, Angola in November — as opportunities to translate the trilateral vision into concrete partnerships, financing arrangements and joint programmes on the ground. The communiqué calls for practical steps to turn commitments into bankable projects that bolster both peacebuilding and sustainable development outcomes.
For development actors and policymakers, the message is clear: peace, climate resilience and financing are interlinked. If the trilateral pledge is implemented with an emphasis on local ownership, transparent financing and measurable results, it could accelerate progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals — from poverty reduction and food security to climate action and strong institutions.
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