Latest news with #MahamoudAliYoussouf
Iraqi News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
UC Chairperson: We Place Great Hopes on Baghdad Summit to Achieve Arab Unity
Baghdad-INA The Chairperson of the African Union Commission-AUC, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, expressed on Saturday high expectations for the Baghdad Summit in advancing Arab unity. Youssef said in a speech during the opening of the 34th session of the Council of the League of Arab States, which was followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA):'Speaking at the opening of the 34th session of the League of Arab States Council, Faki Mahamat said the African Union closely follows the proceedings of the Arab summits and places significant hopes on them to promote Arab solidarity and cohesion amid highly complex regional and international conditions.' He added that the African continent and the Arab world share historic and cultural ties as well as vital common interests, stressing the importance of activating this partnership across various domains. He also commended the initiatives of several brotherly Arab states aimed at resolving conflicts in Africa, underscoring the African Union's strong condemnation of the genocide inflicted upon the Palestinian people and urging the international community to halt this aggression and restore the usurped rights of the Palestinian people.
Eyewitness News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
AU will not accept 'any interference' in Sudan
ADDIS ABABA - The African Union said Monday it would not accept "any interference" in conflict-wracked Sudan after paramilitaries fighting the army were accused of receiving weapons from the United Arab Emirates. The war between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million and sent shudders through east Africa and beyond. Last week, the Sudanese government severed diplomatic relations with the UAE, accusing it of supplying weapons to the RSF. Amnesty International has also accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo. Abu Dhabi has rejected the claims as "baseless". "The Commission's position is that member states are sovereign states, and the AU Commission will not accept any interference in the internal affairs of Sudan," said AU chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf. "We will not support any intervention, any interference in the crisis in Sudan," he said. However, Youssouf declined to comment on the UAE's possible role in the conflict: "it is not the role of the AU, Sudan has accused the Emirates, it is up to Sudan to provide this evidence." The Djibouti ex-foreign minister was elected head of the pan-African organisation in February, inheriting multiple conflicts and a record of ineffectual statements. Among the top of his priorities coming into the post was the Sudan civil war, which has effectively cleaved the country in two. The army mostly controls central, eastern and northern Sudan, while the RSF and its allies dominate nearly all of Darfur in the west and parts of the south. Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes. In recent days, drone attacks attributed by the army to the RSF have increased, marking a turning point in the two-year conflict. Drone attacks have notably targeted strategic sites in Port Sudan, the temporary seat of government and the logistical humanitarian epicentre. In February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged a halt to the "flow of arms" into Sudan.
Arab News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
AU calls for action to tackle extremist threat in Sahel region
NAIROBI: The African Union hs called for urgent cooperation to tackle extremist violence in the Sahel region, after a recent attack blamed on militants killed 54 soldiers in northern Benin. The region, which borders both Niger and Burkina Faso, has seen a recent rise in strikes targeting army positions and on April 17, suspected extremists attacked military posts in a national park. Benin's government blamed the attacks on a spillover from Niger and Burkina Faso, both ruled by army officers who took power in coups on the promise of quashing the long-running extremist scourge in the Sahel. The AU commission's chairman, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, condemned the latest attack and called it 'cowardly.' The attack 'highlights the urgent need for enhanced cooperation between neighboring states to address the growing threat posed by terrorist groups operating in the Sahel,' a statement read. On Wednesday, Benin criticized the lack of cooperation with authorities in Burkina Faso and Niger, which have been hit by violence from armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda and Daesh. Burkina Faso and Niger have turned their backs on the West and accuse Benin of harboring foreign military bases to destabilize them. Benin has denied the accusations. The April 17 attack was claimed by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group which claimed that 70 Beninese soldiers were killed.
Al-Ahram Weekly
07-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
African Union says US tariffs threaten decades of trade and cooperation - Africa
The African Union said on Monday that US tariffs imposed on countries across the continent threatened decades of "mutually beneficial trade and cooperation". AU Commission chairman Mahamoud Ali Youssouf expressed deep concern over the tariffs and urged the US government to reconsider, an AU spokesman said. Youssouf "calls on the US to strengthen, rather than strain, the longstanding partnership rooted in shared values and mutual aspirations," spokesman Nuur Mohamud Sheekh told AFP. Some African countries have been hit harder by tariffs -- ranging from 50 percent for the small African kingdom of Lesotho, a major textile exporter, to 30 percent and above for South Africa, Madagascar and Botswana. About 30 sub-Saharan African countries benefit from duty-free access to the US market through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), an agreement whose future analysts see as under threat now. African countries have been scrambling to react, with some looking to rapidly mobilise diplomatic delegations to travel to Washington. South Africa's automotive sector, accounting for 22 percent of exports to the US and also benefiting under AGOA, will be among the hardest hit as separate tariffs on foreign-made cars have also came into effect. Kenya, which faced a baseline tariff rate of 10 percent, said the new measures presented "both challenges and opportunities", perhaps giving a competitive edge compared to other textile-exporting nations dealing with higher rates. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Zawya
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Chairperson of the African Union Commission Welcomes the Doha Meeting Between the Leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf welcomes the outcomes of the trilateral meeting hosted by the State of Qatar on 18 March 2025 in Doha, bringing together His Excellency President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda and His Excellency President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. The Chairperson commends the Statesmen of the DRC and Rwanda for their commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of the crisis in Eastern DRC. Their engagement reflects true leadership and a shared recognition that peace, security, and stability are indispensable for the prosperity of their nations and the wider Great Lakes region. The Chairperson acknowledges the reaffirmation by both leaders of their commitment to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as agreed during the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Dar es Salaam on 8 February 2025. The African Union remains resolute in its support for African-led solutions to African challenges, as embodied in the Luanda and Nairobi processes. The Doha discussions, held in a spirit of constructive engagement, align with these efforts and complement ongoing regional mechanisms. In this regard, we emphasize the importance of continued coordination between the African Union, regional economic communities, and international partners in fostering sustainable peace. H.E Youssouf expresses his appreciation to the State of Qatar and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for their efforts in facilitating dialogue and confidence-building. The African Union urges all stakeholders to maintain the momentum generated in Doha and to work collectively toward the full implementation of agreed commitments. The AUC stands ready to support and accompany these efforts, in line with its mandate to promote peace, security, and stability across the continent. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
