At the meeting with AU Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssef, both sides focused on deepening cooperation in the fields of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.
It also marked what Mr Guterres said would likely be his final AU-UN summit as secretary-general.
“This is my last AU-UN conference as Secretary-General,” he told reporters Later in the capital of Ethiopia. “But the ties between our organizations are stronger than ever – and will always be.”
Signed by the Secretary-General and the AU Commission Chair Announcement To further institutionalize cooperation between the two organizations, reaffirming the principles of the UN-AU Joint Framework.
pillar of global progress
Mr Guterres described the African Union as “the flagship for multilateralism in Africa” and “a collective voice of justice for the developing world”, highlighting the importance and potential of the continent.
He said the Agreement for the Future, adopted in 2024, underlined the importance of regional organisations, particularly the AU, and called for its reform. security council To make it more representative of today’s world.
He said, “Africa’s continued exclusion from permanent representation is truly a historic injustice – and we cannot accept it.”
“This is not about privilege or symbolism. It is about ensuring that the Council is fit for purpose and able to function with legitimacy and effectiveness.”
financial reform
The Secretary-General also highlighted deep inequalities in the international financial architecture and said African countries face high borrowing costs and limited access to affordable capital.
“Today’s global financial architecture is neither providing an adequate level of support, nor sufficient voice and participation for Africa,” he said.
He said many African countries often pay up to three times the benchmark rate to borrow, leading to a waste of public resources that could otherwise be invested in water, sanitation, health and education.
Mr. Guterres praised African-led reform efforts, including the African Development Bank’s initiative to create a new African financial architecture for development, bringing together African financial institutions.
“Africa is taking the lead in solving African problems,” he said.
© African Union
AU Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssef (right) welcoming Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Addis Ababa.
climate and energy
Mr Guterres also warned that climate change is having the greatest impact on Africa, even though the continent contributes the least to the crisis.
He called for stronger adaptation finance and greater investment in Africa’s renewable energy capacity, saying a temporary overshoot of the 1.5°C temperature limit is now “inevitable – but not irreversible”.
By 2040, he said, Africa could generate 10 times the electricity it needs entirely from renewable energy, as well as provide electricity to the 600 million Africans who still lack electricity.
But he warned that Africa receives only two percent of global clean energy investment, urging action to overcome barriers such as weak grids, high capital costs and fragile supply chains.
middle east fallout
Also in a separate meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and AU Commission Chairman Mr Guterres caution Africa is particularly vulnerable to the global economic impacts of the Middle East crisis, particularly disruptions associated with the Strait of Hormuz.
He said even an immediate reopening would lead to serious consequences, including slower growth and higher inflation, while a prolonged disruption could increase the risk of a global recession.
He warned that the impacts would be particularly severe for African economies that already face high debt, energy costs and difficulties accessing fertilizers.
silence the guns
Peace and security also figured prominently in the AU-UN talks.
The United Nations strongly supports the African Union’s ‘Silencing the Guns’ initiative and the African Humanitarian Agency, Mr. Guterres said, pointing to cooperation on conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya and the Sahel.
He called for an immediate end to hostilities in Sudan and a renewed dialogue in the Sahel to counter violent extremism and terrorism.
He said, “I have always believed that Africa should be seen for what it is: a continent of immense prosperity and potential.”
