Uganda, she affirmed, supports harmonized peace efforts under AU leadership and endorsed stronger collaboration between the AU, Regional Economic Communities, and Regional Mechanisms—particularly in operationalizing the African Standby Force.
At the gleaming headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government opened with ceremony, resolve, and a renewed sense of continental purpose.
Beneath the banner of the AU’s 2026 theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”—African leaders gathered not only to reflect on development goals, but to confront the pressing security and governance challenges shaping the continent’s future.
Representing President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s Vice President, Rtd. Maj. Jessica Alupo stepped onto the summit floor with a clear message: Africa must speak with one voice, particularly on matters of peace, sovereignty, and global reform.
A Call for African-Led Peace
Addressing fellow heads of state and international partners, Alupo cautioned against the proliferation of fragmented peace initiatives and the externalization of African conflicts. Such approaches, she noted, risk undermining the authority and coordination role of the AU. Uganda, she affirmed, supports harmonized peace efforts under AU leadership and endorsed stronger collaboration between the AU, Regional Economic Communities, and Regional Mechanisms—particularly in operationalizing the African Standby Force.
On Somalia, Alupo commended the Federal Government’s steps toward advancing national priorities, urging inclusive political dialogue among federal leaders and member states. Unity, she emphasized, remains essential in confronting extremist threats such as Al-Shabaab. She reiterated Uganda’s support for preserving Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and encouraged continued AU engagement with the UN Security Council regarding Resolution 2719.
Turning to Sudan, the Vice President welcomed the Sudanese National Initiative for peace announced in December 2025. She stressed that no military solution could sustainably resolve the conflict and called for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional cessation of hostilities to pave the way for an inclusive, Sudanese-led political dialogue aligned with the AU Roadmap.
She also recalled Uganda’s diplomatic engagement in the Democratic Republic of Congo, noting President Museveni’s December 21, 2025, urgent ad hoc summit in Entebbe aimed at addressing escalating insecurity in eastern DRC and its wider regional implications.
Reforming the Global Order
But it was before the Committee of Ten (C-10) that Alupo delivered her most forceful appeal.
Chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, the C-10 continues to champion Africa’s long-standing demand for reform of the United Nations Security Council. Alupo praised member states for maintaining unity behind the Common African Position since its adoption in 2005, rooted in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.
In a world marked by geopolitical upheaval and uncertainty in multilateralism, she argued, the time has come for the Council’s five permanent members to demonstrate genuine political will. Africa, she insisted, must no longer endure historical injustice through exclusion from permanent representation.
“We reiterate our demand to rectify the historical injustice against Africa,” she declared, calling for no fewer than two permanent seats with full prerogatives and at least two additional non-permanent seats for the continent.
Alupo underscored that comprehensive UN reform is not merely symbolic—it is essential to ensuring that global governance structures reflect contemporary realities. A more inclusive, equitable, and democratic Security Council, she argued, is vital for maintaining international peace and fostering sustainable global development.
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Speaking With One Voice
In closing, Alupo urged AU members to remain steadfast, united, and adequately resourced in their pursuit of reform. She called on the AU Commission to ensure sufficient financing for the C-10’s work and warned that further postponement of Security Council reform risks undermining Africa’s interests and the broader cause of global peace.
As the summit deliberations continued in Addis Ababa, one message rang clearly across the chamber: Africa is no longer content to observe global decisions from the margins. Through unified diplomacy and determined advocacy, it seeks tangible results—and a rightful seat at the table shaping the world’s future.
