French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that African challenges should be addressed primarily by African institutions, during a visit to the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Speaking after a trilateral meeting with African Union Commission chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Macron described the AU as the "legitimate body" to lead responses to the continent's political and security crises. "We believe that African problems must first and foremost be resolved and coordinated by Africa," Macron said, reaffirming France's support for African-led diplomacy. The statement came at the close of a five-day tour that included stops in Egypt and Kenya, where Macron attended the Africa Forward summit.
At the meeting, AU Commission chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf stated that discussions centred on peace and security, particularly France's contributions to stabilising conflict zones through its position on the UN Security Council. Macron announced that Paris will host an international conference later this year to mobilise additional funding for the African Union Peace Fund. The fund, established in 1993 and revived in 2018, raised approximately $400 million in 2024. The French president called for full implementation of UN Resolution 2719, adopted in 2023, which mandates UN member-state contributions to AU peace operations. He stressed the need for the AU to develop greater peacekeeping capacity and independent mediation mechanisms, with France offering support while ensuring African leadership remains central.
Macron's visit included a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ahead of the trilateral talks, marking a symbolic shift in France's engagement with African institutions. The discussions highlighted increasing expectations for the AU to assume a more prominent role in managing continental crises. The upcoming conference in Paris aims to strengthen financial backing for AU peace initiatives, building on recent momentum in international support.
Macron's call for African-led solutions gains weight as France simultaneously positions itself as a key backer of AU peace funding. The upcoming Paris conference on the AU Peace Fund reveals a paradox: advocating African ownership while hosting the financial decision-making. If African problems are to be solved by Africa, the power to fund and direct those solutions must also reside in Africa.
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