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PermanentMission of The Stateof Eritrea To the United Nations.New York

BY THE ON BEHALFOF THE AFRICANGROUP STATEMENT THE UNITED OF ERITREATO PERMANENTREPRESENTATIVE CHAIRMANOF THE AFRICAI\ NATIONS,H.E. MT.ARAYADESTA, THE 2013TO INTRODUCE FORTHEMONTHOF SEPTEMBER GROUP THE BETWEEN ON THE COOPERATION DRAFTRESOLUTION AND THE AFRICANUNION (Al6ZlL.6Z)UNDER NATIONS UNTTED OF THE UN GENERAL AGENDAITEM P1(A) IN THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY zor3 NewYork, 16September

Mr. President, I have the honor to introduce, on behalf of the African Group, the the United Nationsand the between draft resolutionentitled "Cooperation African Union ", containedin documentA16Z 1L67.,under agendaitem, rzr(a). sub-item The African Group would like to express its appreciation to all on and contributionsto the for their constructiveengagements delegations draft resolution. Our gratitude is also directed to the President of the GeneralAssemblyfor allowing the spacefor membersto conduct further consultationsand clarifications on the ambiguous aspect of this very importantresolution.

800SecondAvenue l8thFloorNewYork,NY 10017.Tel: (212)687-3390. Fax:(212) 687-3138 e-mail: seneral@eritrea-unmission.ors

The draft resolution presented today reaffirms the subsisting betweenthe United Nationsand the African Union in key areas cooperation aswell asDevelopment. andSecurity of Peace the need to enhance strategic This draft resolution recognizes the United NationsSecurityCouncil between partnership and cooperation and the peaceand securitycouncilof the African Union in the realmsof conflict prevention and resolution, early warning, mediation, crisis peace peacekeeping, securitysectorreform and post-conflict management, building in Africa, including efforts to implement the African Union and Development,TheAfrican Reconstruction for Post-conflict Framework
Group welcomesthe ongoing efforts of the two Councils to hold joint meetings and commendsthe UN Security Council for its anticipated meeting with the AU Peaceand SecurityCouncil in Octoberthis year and the Group looks forward to a of the two councilsto further consolidate of the determination concreteexpression partnership. their strategic

the With less than 8oo daysleft to the zor5 deadlinefor achieving Goals(MDGs),this draft resolutionrecognizes Millennium Development that Africa remainsthe only continent off-track to achievethe goals.This the needfor the United Nationsto redraft resolutionthereforestresses of poverty eradicationand the challenges double its efforts at addressing the critical issues of debt cancellation,enhancedofficial development in-flows of foreign direct investmentand transferof increases assistance, technology, building of productive capacities and the creation of opportunities,food insecurity,agriculturepartnership,quality employrnent maternalhealth and combatingthe genderequality,'improved education,

and other related infectious spreadof HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis diseases. the Finally Mr. President, this draft resolution acknowledges increasingrelevanceof StrategicPartnershipsfor the developmentof the appreciationfor the activerole African continent.The resolutionexpresses that both the United Nations and the African Union are playrng in facilitating these relationships towards the enhancement of Africa's to ongoing greatimportance goal.TheAfricanGroupattaches development strategicpartnershipswith variouscountriesand regionsand takesnote of the new form of partnershipbetweenthe UN and the African Union in the (TICADV) on African Development contextof the International Conference held in yokohama,Tokyo from r to 3 June 2013. The African Group in the partnerships ongoingstrategic and commend to alsowelcome wishes context of, Africa-China, Africa-EU, Africa-South America, Africa-Arab Africa-India and,Africa-Korea. summit, Africa-Turkey, I thank you.