AU Executive Council opens in Addis Ababa with financing and global reform high on agenda
African foreign ministers opened a two-day Executive Council session in Addis Ababa on July 28, with leaders urging stronger domestic financing, a larger African role in global decision-making and permanent representation on the UN Security Council.
The African Union’s Executive Council opened its 49th ordinary session in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, July 28, bringing foreign ministers and senior representatives from member states together for two days of talks on continental priorities and the implementation of Agenda 2063.
Opening statements placed financial self-reliance near the centre of the meeting. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for stronger African financial capacity, while UN Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary Claver Gatete urged governments to mobilise more domestic resources rather than depend indefinitely on external financing.
Global governance reform was another prominent theme. Executive Council Chairperson Édouard Nduwimana renewed the AU’s demand for permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the continent’s role in international affairs should be reflected in global institutions.
Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos said African states should act more strategically in a changing geopolitical environment and advance African-led responses to international challenges.
The Addis Ababa session is expected to consider these priorities alongside other issues facing the continent. The statements reported at the opening set broad policy goals; any binding decisions or agreed implementation measures will depend on the council’s formal outcomes.
