African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have expressed concerns about external interferences exacerbating the security crisis in Africa. They highlighted this issue during a joint press conference held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Youssouf emphasized that many security crises in Africa are influenced by external sources, including the provision of financial resources, ammunition, and even fighters from other continents.
The interference from abroad not only disrupts mediation and resolution processes but also poses a significant challenge for the AU and UN in addressing security issues across the continent, particularly in regions like the Sahel, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Youssouf stressed the need for increased efforts by the AU, UN, and other partners to manage these crises effectively. He emphasized the importance of African-led peace negotiations based on the principle of finding African solutions to African conflicts.
Guterres echoed Youssouf’s sentiments, condemning the external involvement in African conflicts, which includes providing weapons and political support to advance strategic or economic interests. He called for a collective diplomatic approach to eliminate such interference and facilitate political agreements to resolve conflicts. Guterres also raised concerns about the use of drones in modern warfare, noting the devastating impact on civilians when drones supplied from outside Africa are deployed in conflicts on the continent.
