African Union calls for more money for autonomy and organization

O president of the African Union Commission (AU), Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, today called for additional financial effort by the Member States to ensure greater autonomy and organizational capacity.

“ We must agree to contribute more to the achievement of our common ambitions; I am fully aware of the additional financial effort we are asking of our Member States,” said Youssouf in his opening address to the extraordinary session of the AU Executive Council dedicated to Union financing in the capital of Ghana, Accra.

Among the main proposals is the increase in the ceiling of the statutory contribution to USD 200 million, around EUR 162 million, and the generalisation of the 0.2% rate on imports from outside the continent.

“ Only 18 Member States apply it, we must examine the conditions for progressive and extended application, taking into account national realities,” Youssouf added.

Faced with “accumulating crises” such as conflicts, humanitarian, climate and health crises on the continent, Youssouf stressed the need for a continental mechanism of prevention, anticipation, coordination and action.

“ We face these challenges at a time when our traditional partners are reviewing their priorities and reducing their financial commitments; we cannot continue to rely on external funding to respond to crises that we ourselves regard as priorities,” he said.

Among other proposals, Youssouf has advanced the creation of a group of ten ministers, composed of two from each region, responsible for making recommendations on the rationalisation of the structures of the AU and the control of its expenditure.

“ The goal is not to ask some to pay more and more, but to allow everyone to contribute fairly to the achievement of our common ambitions; these contributions are an investment in our collective security, our resilience, our economic integration and our sovereignty”, he concluded.