Omar Hilale: “Morocco, a Bridge Between UN, AU for African-led Peace”

United Nations (New York) – Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, co-chaired Wednesday in New York, in his capacity as Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the 9th annual consultative meeting between the PBC and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC), alongside the current Chair of the PSC, Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of Cameroon to the AU.

As a member of the PSC and head of the PBC, the Kingdom has established itself as a key partner for both the UN and the AU. This co-chairmanship underscores Morocco’s commitment to peace, security, and conflict prevention on the continent, in line with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

In his opening remarks, Hilale welcomed the tangible progress made since the 8th session, held in Addis Ababa in November 2025 – particularly regarding financial contributions and coordination. He urged all parties to build upon these achievements to move decisively from consultation to action, reflecting the theme of this year’s meeting: “Advancing synergies and regional approaches in support of nationally owned peacebuilding priorities in Africa.”

To this end, Ambassador Hilale highlighted two proposals: improving the oversight of implementation through a concise summary of agreed-upon measures, and establishing indicative timelines, the progress of which would be reported on by the secretariats of both bodies.

The Chair of the PBC further suggested focusing efforts on specific contexts – such as in West Africa or the Great Lakes region – where a coordinated approach could provide genuine added value, provided that the states concerned request such engagement.

Hilale also advocated for greater coherence in funding, suggesting that the Peacebuilding Fund, the institutional capacity-building component of the African Union Peace Fund, the African Development Bank, and other donors “would benefit from better alignment with the priorities defined by the countries themselves.”

The Ambassador emphasized that these three approaches are underpinned by a common set of principles: the primacy of national leadership, support from regional organizations, and the inclusion of women, girls, and youth.

During the discussion, participants examined how both organizations could assist member states in developing national prevention strategies and strengthening their resilience against the risks of conflict.

The dialogue also addressed how the PBC’s advisory, advocacy, and resource-mobilization functions can support the AU and broaden the circle of partners—particularly in areas such as transitions, peacebuilding financing, and the AU’s Policy on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD).

The proceedings of this meeting culminated in the adoption of a joint communiqué outlining the path forward for elevating cooperation between the PBC and the PSC, in support of a sustainable, African-led peace.

The meeting was attended by the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office to the AU, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga; the new Under-Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Martin Kimani; and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Elizabeth Spehar.