New York:Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, co-chaired the 9th annual consultative meeting between the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) in New York. Hilale, in his capacity as Chair of the PBC, partnered with Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of Cameroon to the AU and current Chair of the PSC.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the Kingdom of Morocco has positioned itself as a vital partner for both the UN and the AU, emphasizing its commitment to peace, security, and conflict prevention across Africa. Hilale’s co-chairmanship reflects the vision of King Mohammed VI and Morocco’s strategic role in these international relations.

In his opening remarks, Hilale acknowledged the progress achieved since the last session in Addis Ababa in November 2025, particularly in financial contributions and coordination. He called for building on these achievements to transition from consultation to tangible actions. The meeting focused on advancing synergies and regional approaches to support nationally owned peacebuilding priorities in Africa.

Hilale proposed enhancing oversight of implementation with concise summaries of agreements and establishing timelines to track progress. He also emphasized the importance of targeting efforts in specific regions like West Africa and the Great Lakes, contingent on requests from the states involved.

The Ambassador advocated for coherent funding, suggesting alignment of the Peacebuilding Fund and other financial bodies with national priorities. He stressed national leadership, regional support, and the inclusion of women, girls, and youth as foundational principles for these initiatives.

Discussions included strategies for developing national prevention plans and enhancing resilience against conflict. The meeting explored how the PBC’s functions could aid the AU and expand partnerships, especially in transitions and peacebuilding financing.

The meeting concluded with a joint communiqué outlining steps to enhance cooperation between the PBC and the PSC, aiming for sustainable, African-led peace. Attendees included AU Commissioner Bankole Adeoye, UN Office to the AU Head Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Under-Secretary-General Martin Kimani, and Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Spehar.