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30 March 2017

Addis Ababa, 29 March 2017 – The President of the ������ General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, visited today the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he addressed the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union (AU). Prior his address, the President met with H.E. Mr. Smail Chergui, Acting Chairperson of the AU Commission and Commissioner for Peace and Security, H.E. Ms. Amira Elfadil Muhammed Elfadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Albert M. Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry.

In addressing the PRC and the AU Commissioners, President Thomson expanded on the central theme of the General Assembly’s 71st Session of achieving momentum for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. He underlined that for the Sustainable Development Goals to succeed, Africa’s interests must be central to the efforts of the international community.

The President referred to the significant economic advances achieved in Africa over the last decade and commended the AU’s consistent efforts in this regard. He recognized that the continent was still home to 70% of the world’s Least Developed Countries and was struggling in many quarters to consolidate peace and security. He emphasized that further strengthening of cooperation between the AU and the ������ was the way forward on peace and security.

President Thomson said it was clear that when it comes to achieving sustainable peace and development, the success of the United Nations and the African Union are deeply intertwined. Both organizations have their comparative advantages, with their hands immeasurably strengthened, he said, by working in partnership.

Referring in particular to the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, the President told the PRC, “Given the inseparable nexus of sustaining peace and sustainable development, the stakes are high for meaningful implementation of the mosaic of multilateral agreements that have been committed to by the community of nations.” He called for all parties to the agreements, in the best interests of humanity as a whole, to stay true to the course.

The President said he was greatly impressed by the vision displayed in the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the commitment being shown to achieving the goals, including further integration of trade within the continent, sustainable industrialization, the promotion of good governance, quality education and decent jobs.

While in Addis Ababa today, President Thomson also held an interactive meeting with the ������ Country Team, under the leadership of the ������ Resident Coordinator, Ms Ahunna-Onochie, and officials of the Ethiopian Planning Commission on matters related to the implementation of the SDGs. He was briefed on how ������ Agencies, Funds and Programmes are working to provide support to the Ethiopia’s national plans and commitment to ‘delivering as one’. The President also met with Mr. Nicholas Haysom, the ������ Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, to discuss the latest developments related to his mission.