Addis Ababa – African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf received EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib at AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa on Monday, for discussions covering health emergencies, the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the broader AU-EU strategic partnership.
Youssouf welcomed the EU’s continued engagement in support of Africa’s priorities and spoke to the importance of strengthening Africa’s health security architecture, advancing health sovereignty and building continental capacity in vaccine production, disease preparedness and emergency response. He said health security remained closely linked to peace, stability and sustainable development.
The two leaders discussed ongoing cooperation in addressing health and humanitarian emergencies, including efforts to contain the current Ebola outbreak, as well as peace, security and development challenges across the continent.
Youssouf also raised the humanitarian and public health consequences of the conflict in eastern DRC, pointing to the importance of advancing ceasefire efforts, facilitating humanitarian access and supporting affected communities.
Lahbib reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to working closely with the AU and its institutions, including Africa CDC, to strengthen preparedness and support Africa-led responses to health and humanitarian emergencies. She also spoke to the importance of deepening cooperation on humanitarian diplomacy and international humanitarian law.
The talks touched on the impact of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and their implications for Africa. Both sides committed to further strengthening the AU-EU strategic partnership, building on the outcomes of the AU-EU Summit in Luanda and anchored in solidarity and a shared vision for peace, resilience and sustainable development.
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