ADDIS ABABA — Somalia’s foreign minister, Abdisalam Ali, on Friday chaired the sixth A3 high-level ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Assembly, as African leaders moved to tighten coordination at the United Nations Security Council.
Somalia currently serves as coordinator of the A3 — the three African non-permanent members of the Security Council: Somalia, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a role that places Mogadishu at the center of efforts to advance Africa’s priorities in New York.
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In a joint discussion, ministers reaffirmed plans to better align the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) with A3 positions at the U.N., emphasizing closer coordination, coherence and strategic engagement to amplify Africa’s collective influence on global peace and security decisions.
The session underscored unity and a shared strategic vision as geopolitical tensions reshape multilateral diplomacy, with officials pledging to uphold multilateralism and defend African interests within global institutions.
Key participants
- Liberia’s Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti
- Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Deputy Foreign Minister Noëlla Ayeganagato Nakwipone
- AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye
- AU Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees
Why it matters
- The A3 mechanism has become a central platform for aligning continental stances on conflict resolution, peacekeeping mandates and sanctions regimes affecting African states.
- Sharper coordination between Addis Ababa — where the AU sets continental priorities — and New York — where the Security Council adjudicates global security files — is critical to ensuring Africa speaks with one voice.
What the ministers emphasized
- Closer, predictable coordination between the AU PSC and the A3 bloc to streamline positions before key Security Council debates and votes.
- Coherence across capitals and missions to reinforce Africa’s credibility on files ranging from mandate renewals to sanctions calibration.
- Strategic engagement with partners at the U.N. to build coalitions around Africa-backed approaches to peace processes and stabilization efforts.
Context
- Somalia’s stewardship of the A3 comes as the country expands its diplomatic profile, having secured a seat on the AU Peace and Security Council for the 2026–2028 term.
- The push for unity comes amid intensifying global competition, where Security Council dynamics increasingly hinge on disciplined regional coordination.
What’s next
- Officials signaled a renewed focus on institutional linkages between AU organs and African missions in New York to improve real-time information sharing and synchronized messaging.
- Ministers also pointed to upcoming Security Council agenda items touching African theaters, where the A3 intends to present consolidated positions shaped in concert with the AU PSC.
Friday’s meeting reinforced the A3’s role as a disciplined caucus within the Security Council, one that seeks to translate continental consensus into negotiating leverage. With Somalia at the helm, ministers said the priority is to turn procedural coordination into tangible outcomes on resolutions that affect African conflict zones and the mandates that govern international responses to them.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
