Viet Nam supports joint efforts by the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) to promote peace in Africa, Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, deputy head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, has said.

Speaking at the annual consultation between the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) on 30 September, Anh also affirmed Viet Nam supports Mali's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and acknowledges that stakeholders in Mali has reached an agreement to establish a transitional government.

He emphasised the importance of ensuring security and safety for people of Mali and continuing efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and called on the transitional government and relevant parties to strengthen cooperation and mutual trust towards promoting national concord and making a peaceful and stable transition.

The ambassador urged relevant parties to comply with international humanitarian law and protect the rights of women and children, highlighting the importance of women’s participation in all stages of the political process in Mali.

He also highly valued the cooperation between UNSC and AUPSC in preventing and dealing with the conflicts in Africa in general and in Mali in particular.

Rosemary Di Carlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, highlighted cooperation achievements between UNSC and AUPSC in the context of COVID-19 outbreak, especially their joint contributions to the peace processes in Mali, Madagascar, Sudan and South Sudan, and to promoting the participation of women and young people in peace processes.

She expressed her hope for stable situations in Mali, Sahel and Somalia, and praised AUPSC’s response to the UN Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire to focus on fighting COVID-19.

Meanwhile, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui affirmed that AUPSC will continue to work closely with UNSC, and reiterated the call by AU member countries on facilitating the involvement of African countries in UNSC in building the council’s documents on Africa.

A joint statement was adopted at the consultation, spotlighting the role by AU in preventing, managing and solving conflicts, and in promoting reconstruction and development in Africa; and reaffirming the importance of strengthening the cooperation between UNSC and AUPSC on peace and security issues in Africa.

It also stressed the need to enhance the coordination in implementing the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the AU Agenda to 2063, and the UNSC's Resolution 2457 on supporting the initiative “Silencing the Guns in Africa”.

The annual consultation between the UNSC and the AUPSC was established in 2007 to enhance bilateral cooperation in peace and security in Africa. This was the first time the consultation was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: VNA