00:00On Friday, the African Union hosted members of the UN Security Council for what has become
00:11an annual consultative meeting at its headquarters in Addis Ababa.
00:17Top on the agenda was the situation in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, where weeks
00:21of demonstrations led to a change of government.
00:24The African Union has suspended Madagascar from all its activities and deployed a high
00:29level mission to engage with local stakeholders.
00:33The African Union remains committed to zero tolerance against unconstitutional changes
00:41of government.
00:43The position of Council, of the Peace and Security Council, is that Madagascar underscores the
00:49Union's commitment to constitutionalism, democratic governance and people-centered legitimacy.
00:56The talks also focused on the unfolding crisis in Sudan, where the army and the rival paramilitary
01:05rapid support forces have been fighting for more than two years.
01:09The conflict has displaced millions and left large parts of the country facing a serious
01:13humanitarian crisis.
01:15The current president of the UN Security Council described the situation as alarming.
01:20Sudan is a major crisis, of course, political, humanitarian, you name it.
01:28We need to open new crosspoints, but the question is that even with these crosspoints, the humanitarian
01:34aid does not reach people who are really badly needed.
01:37The meeting also reviewed Africa's long-standing demand for permanent representation in the UN Security
01:45Council.
01:46It also examined the implementation of UN Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for financing
01:53AU-led peace support operations.
01:55However, divisions remain over predictable funding and burden sharing.
01:59Humankind deserves a networked, effective multilateral system that must evolve to reflect the realities
02:09and the aspirations of today's world.
02:13Therefore, UN Security Council reform remains urgent and necessary.
02:21Africa's voice through the A3 plus has become increasingly assertive, serving as a formidable representation
02:30of our union.
02:31A reformed UN Security Council must reflect equity, regional balance and global inclusiveness.
02:41The meeting ended with a call for renewed partnership and stronger multilateral action to address Africa's
02:47most pressing security challenges from Antananarivo to Khartoum and beyond.
