Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General yesterday underlined the vital importance of peace and security in Africa. While calling on all Member States to work with the African Union and sub-regional organizations to make life safer across the continent, she drew the attention of Council members to a number of worrying trends that Africans are facing today.

For Amina J. Mohammed, the socio-economic crises of Covid-19 have not only had an impact on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across Africa, but have also exacerbated poverty, inequalities and all the conflict factors.

An increase in the seizure of power by force and a proliferation of militias across Africa, worries the international community; but despite these « disturbing developments » – from the military coup in Sudan earlier this week, to the continuing conflict in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, to the lingering threats of terrorism and violent extremism – the growing cooperation between the UN, the African Union and sub-regional organizations on peace processes shows that Africans continue to work for a prosperous, sustainable and peaceful continent, based on universal principles of rights of man, according to the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
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