Africa-Press – Lesotho. Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo made the remarks, while participating in the 47th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the host country, Equatorial Guinea.
“We urge the AU to fully leverage South Africa’s role as host of the G20 Summit in 2025 to promote Africa’s priorities, particularly in areas such as equitable access to development financing, reforms of international financial institutions, urgent solutions to the growing debt vulnerabilities in Africa, securing long-term infrastructure financing, addressing climate change and promoting economic diversification,” said Ambassador Kombo.
Ambassador Kombo also underscored the importance of finalising the AU Commission’s Five-Year Strategic Plan to ensure that annual plans align with the priorities of the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063.
The council also discussed the Report of the AU Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), during which Ambassador Kombo contributed to several agenda items, including supporting the approval of the AU budget proposals for 2026, which reflect the economic realities of member states.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Kombo held bilateral talks with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Mr Hadera Admassu, as a sign of their joint commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Their discussions focused on enhancing existing agreements, particularly in trade, security and infrastructure.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in areas such as air transport, an area in which Tanzania has much to learn from Ethiopia. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and pledged to share experiences in managing internal conflicts and promoting stability.
In addition, the two leaders jointly discussed the importance of environmental conservation, including tree planting initiatives to combat climate change.
During the session, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, addressed several challenges hindering development across the continent, including conflicts, political tensions and insufficient voluntary financial contributions from member states.
“Political tensions and conflicts across the continent obstruct our ambitions and disrupt our planning and programmes. The direhumanitarian situation and insecurity in regions such as Sudan, eastern DRC, Somalia and the Sahel impede any progress,” said Mr Youssouf.
The 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, discussions are focused on the progress of the AU’s 2025 theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.
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