The joint statement of the African Union Commission, League of Arab States, United Nations
High-level consultative meeting on the sidelines of the League of Arab States Summit
1. The meeting between the chairperson of the African Union Commission, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations was held with the objective of aligning the efforts of their respective organisations in the pursuit of peace in Sudan. The meeting underscored the imperative of a more unified, robust, and coordinated international response aimed at halting hostilities, alleviating the humanitarian plight of the Sudanese people, ensuring unfettered access to humanitarian aid, and achieving a comprehensive and enduring ceasefire.
2. The meeting recalled the longstanding legacy of constructive collaboration among their organisations in conflict resolution efforts in Sudan, in concert with key Member States and multilateral partners. They acknowledged, however, the ongoing challenges related to effective multilateral coordination and the absence of a clearly defined division of responsibilities—factors that have impeded trust-building among stakeholders and diminished the efficacy of current mediation frameworks.
3. The three organisations reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to upholding the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Sudan, and to preventing the disintegration of its national institutions. They stressed that their joint efforts must be grounded in the framework of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, the Jeddah Declaration, and pertinent resolutions adopted by both the African Union and the League of Arab States.
4. The meeting asserted the necessity of crafting a coherent and unified strategic vision to address the crisis in Sudan, one that is anchored in complementarity, leverages the comparative strengths of each organisation, and is operationalised through focused and collaborative action.
5. The meeting acknowledged the urgent need to enhance multilateral coordination through a high-level consensus on establishing a broader, inclusive grouping. This framework—still to be developed and agreed upon—should include the participation of key multilateral actors capable of generating political momentum and propelling diplomatic efforts forward, while maintaining synergy with Member State-led initiatives.
6. The meeting agreed to capitalise on upcoming multilateral forums—including the United Nations General Assembly, the African Union Summit, and the League of Arab States Summit—to reconvene at the leadership level. This would serve to sustain high-level engagement, evaluate the evolving situation in Sudan, and reach consensus on actionable steps to improve the effectiveness, coherence, and impact of their collective endeavours.
