"In recent times, most of the funding for the African Union's actions has come from external actors and this issue has weakened the African continent's decision-making core. It is therefore important that the African Union's member states review their ability to finance their own activities," Miguel Bembe said in Luanda on Monday.
The diplomat, who was speaking during a colloquium on "Africa, State, Political Communication and Societies: What Challenges Does Angola Face in the Presidency of the African Union?", considered that the AU faces a series of challenges that tend to delay the achievement of the ambitious objectives of Agenda 2023 to 2026.
"In our view, these are structural challenges of an internal nature, which are controllable and therefore well identified," he stressed, emphasizing that the appropriate mechanisms for resolving them "depend on the political will and collective capacity of the Africans themselves."
Angola has held the rotating presidency of the African Union since February, with one of its objectives being to ensure the implementation of the annual programme under the motto "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations".
Miguel Bembe pointed out that the AU's first challenge is the "crisis in the African peace and security architecture, especially in the Peace and Security Council itself" of the regional bloc.
"[This architecture] faces major difficulties that seriously undermine the effectiveness and credibility of our continental organisation", he noted, highlighting strategic partnerships and the position of the African Union as another challenge.
Regarding strategic partnerships, he advocated "an inclusive dialogue and dynamic cooperation oriented towards results between the member states of the AU Commission and other international actors, always taking into account the pan-African principles and African unity".
The Angolan ambassador to Ethiopia also recalled that solidarity between AU states is one of the challenges facing this African bloc, particularly in the face of multiple peace and security, economic, health and other challenges.
Miguel Bembe advocated sustainable funding for the African Union, insisting that funding from external actors weakens the organisation and that the AU has "little influence in global governance".
In his speech, at the initiative promoted by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Agostinho Neto University (FCS-UAN), the ambassador recalled that the countries of the continent have defended the need for reforms in both the AU and the UN, "especially in its Security Council, where Africa should have a fundamental role, since the various issues discussed at the United Nations concern the African continent".
He also listed unemployment, underemployment among young people and climate change as other challenges facing the AU, and defended the importance of Africa "stopping being a mere spectator, but making its voice heard and defending its interests at a global level".
He added that, in the face of "all these upheavals, questions remain that are both pertinent and important" about the real position of the African continent, "united or not", regarding continental and international issues of interest to it. Miguel Bembe, also an associate professor at FCS-UAN, said that, given its strategic position, Angola has sought to play an "increasingly strategic" role in defining Africa's position on issues of peace, continental and international security.
According to the ambassador, Angola's presidency of the AU "is of strategic importance, since it represents the hope of a shift towards a more united, sovereign and influential Africa", noting that lasting peace and integrated development are, for President João Lourenço, a fundamental element that must be achieved through "preventive, active and solid diplomacy".
