ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — Vice President Jessica Alupo addressed the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa on Saturday, urging accelerated reforms of the United Nations Security Council to ensure Africa achieves equitable representation and tangible outcomes.
The two-day summit, held at the AU headquarters under the 2026 theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” brought together leaders from AU member states to discuss peace and security, economic development, regional integration, and Africa’s global standing.
Vice President Alupo, representing President Museveni, highlighted Uganda’s support for harmonized peace initiatives across the continent.
She reaffirmed backing for the African Standby Force and AU-led mediation efforts, citing recent initiatives in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Sudan.
In Somalia, Alupo commended the federal government for advancing national priorities and urged inclusive political dialogue to combat Al-Shabaab.
She stressed the importance of preserving Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability, and called on the AU to continue engaging the UN Security Council on Resolution 2719.
Regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo, she reminded delegates of the urgent Adhoc Summit hosted by President Museveni in Entebbe on December 21, 2025, which addressed escalating security and humanitarian crises in eastern DR Congo.
On Sudan, she welcomed the Sudanese National Initiative for peace, advocating for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional cessation of hostilities to enable inclusive, Sudanese-led political dialogue.
Addressing the Committee of Ten (C-10) African Union Heads of State and Government on UN Security Council reforms, chaired by Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Alupo praised members for their commitment to advancing the Common African Position (CAP).
She urged the five permanent members of the Security Council to demonstrate political will in supporting full reforms, emphasizing Africa’s historical underrepresentation.
“We reiterate our demand to rectify the historical injustice against Africa, which should not be perpetrated any longer, and for Africa to be prioritized as a special case for adequate representation on the UN Security Council,” she said.
Alupo called for a Security Council structure aligned with the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, advocating for Africa to hold at least two permanent seats with full privileges and two non-permanent seats.
She stressed unity among C-10 members and AU states in pursuing reforms, warning that any further delay undermines Africa’s interests, international peace, and global development.
She also urged the AU Commission to allocate sufficient resources to support the work of the C-10, ensuring sustained advocacy and diplomatic engagement for UN Security Council reforms.
