African Union and League of Arab States officials reaffirm stronger cooperation on trade, migration, food security and peace ahead of the partnership’s 50th anniversary, reports Africa Daily News Desk
Senior officials from the African Union (AU) and the League of Arab States have renewed calls to transform the Africa-Arab Partnership into a platform for collective action, as both sides stepped up preparations for the next Africa-Arab Summit and the partnership’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The 21st Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Coordination Committee of the Africa-Arab Partnership was held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, bringing together representatives from African and Arab member states, regional organisations and development institutions.
The meeting reviewed progress on commitments made at the 4th Africa-Arab Summit, held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in 2016, while discussing ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, food security, migration, connectivity, disaster response, peace and sustainable development.
Opening the meeting, Ambassador Nyamitwe Willy, Permanent Representative of Burundi to the African Union and Chair of the meeting, said the partnership must evolve beyond dialogue into practical cooperation capable of addressing shared regional and global challenges.
He noted that Africa and the Arab world together represent more than two billion people and possess significant natural resources and economic potential, giving both regions an opportunity to play a stronger role in shaping global affairs.
Ambassador Willy identified economic integration, connectivity, food security, and peace and security as the key priorities that should guide future cooperation between the two regions.
Representing the African Union Commission, Dr. Steve P. Lalande, Director of Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation, acknowledged the League of Arab States for hosting the meeting and said the partnership’s main challenge had been implementation rather than political commitment.
He pointed to limited financing, weak follow-up mechanisms and insufficient coordination as obstacles that had slowed progress on joint initiatives.
Despite these challenges, Lalande said the partnership had continued to expand through programmes such as the Africa-Arab Migration Platform, the Africa-Arab Trade Fair aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Disaster Response Fund, and the Africa-Arab Economic Forum, describing them as strong foundations for deeper cooperation.
On behalf of the League of Arab States, H.E. Dr. Qahtan Taha Khalaf, Ambassador of Iraq to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the League, welcomed delegates and highlighted that the meeting marked another milestone ahead of the partnership’s 50th anniversary in 2027.
He reaffirmed the importance of expanding cooperation across the economic, social and cultural sectors while reiterating continued support for the Palestinian cause through the tripartite coordination mechanism involving the League of Arab States, the African Union and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
H.E. Fouad Boustanji, Director for African Affairs at the League of Arab States, stressed the need for stronger collaboration to address ongoing peace and development challenges facing both regions.
He welcomed preparations for next year’s golden jubilee celebrations and thanked African countries for their continued support on issues affecting the Arab world.
Delegates also reviewed preparations for the 5th Africa-Arab Summit, which is expected to be held in Riyadh, alongside progress on implementing decisions adopted at the Malabo summit.
The meeting assessed ongoing cooperation in migration, trade, disaster response and economic development, while discussing the timetable for future partnership meetings.
These include the 10th General Cooperation Meeting in New York, the 22nd Senior Officials’ Meeting, the 10th Ministerial Meeting, and events marking the 50th anniversary of the Africa-Arab Partnership in 2027.
Officials concluded by reaffirming their commitment to strengthening Africa-Arab cooperation through practical initiatives aimed at boosting trade, investment, sustainable development and regional stability.
