Speaking at the inauguration of a renovated Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Secretary-General António Guterres said the continent deserved a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He also called for resolute action and renewed solidarity to help Africa rise to its challenges.

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Secretary-General António Guterres today (21 Oct) in Addis Ababa said, "there is now a consensus from Member States that the Security Council must be reformed, and there is a consensus of all Member States that the key aspect of that reform is to have two African members as permanent members of the Security Council."

Guterres, who took part in the 8th African Union–United Nations annual conference said, "Africa faces enormous obstacles to its development” which are “deeply rooted in the colonial legacy.”

Speaking at a joint press conference after meeting with the African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, he said, “African countries gained independence with their economies and to a certain extent, their societies distorted by the interests of the colonial powers that organized their economies to the benefits of the colonists."

The Secretary-General announced that, “we just decided to create the common working group with the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission to do serious research, to allow to contribute to the creation of an African strategy to bridge the digital divide and the Artificial Intelligence divide, and to overcome all the enormous structural difficulties and impediments that exist today, and to be able to claim the resources that will be necessary for it to be possible.”

The AU – UN high-level discussions, co-chaired by Faki and the Secretary-General, focused on progress in the implementation of cooperation frameworks between the two organizations, as well as the operationalization of Security Council resolution 2719, which establishes the framework for financing of African Union-led peace support operations through UN assessed contributions.

Participants also discussed joint action, as well as challenges linked to peace, security, development, human rights and the impact of climate change on the African continent. Discussions also included the implementation of the Pact for the Future.

The Secretary-General also participated in a ceremony for the inauguration of a renovated Africa Hall. This hall was built for the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union.

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