<\/p>\n
In an opening address, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the continent was facing multiple pressures, including geopolitical tensions affecting global supply chains, macroeconomic instability, delays in fertiliser imports, ongoing conflicts and health emergencies such as the recent Ebola outbreak.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Youssouf also said external factors, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, were continuing to disrupt continental plans.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite those difficulties, Youssouf said the Commission would intensify efforts, implement contingency plans and reinforce fiscal discipline. Youssouf said the 2027 budget would be an austerity budget, while stressing the need to continue the post-Skills Audit and Competency Assessment trajectory.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Youssouf said the AU was operating with only 30% of the required staffing levels and about 25% of the global budget, including programmes funded by statutory contributions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Youssouf appealed to Member States for stronger solidarity and material support, saying the objectives of Agenda 2063 would require greater involvement and commitment. Youssouf also told the Permanent Representatives\u2019 Committee that the Commission was developing scenarios to address human and financial resource gaps and remained ready to work with Member States on appropriate solutions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Permanent Representatives\u2019 Committee Chairperson Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, who is also Ambassador of Burundi to Ethiopia, called for unity, self-reflection and action. Nyamitwe thanked Member States for entrusting Burundi with steering the continental organisation this year.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nyamitwe said technological changes were reshaping economies while expectations among African citizens were rising. Nyamitwe also warned against national positions that could weaken continental unity and urged ambassadors to ensure that decisions improve the lives of ordinary Africans.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nyamitwe said unity was not only a virtue but also a weapon, adding that history would judge whether institutions had been strengthened and whether solidarity had prevailed over division.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi, AU Commissioners, representatives of African Union organs and senior officials.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Permanent Representatives\u2019 Committee will consider reports from sub-committees, the AU Commission and other AU organs and specialised agencies before adopting a report and draft decisions for the Executive Council meeting scheduled for June 24-25, 2026, in El Alamein.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–AU\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36189,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-36188","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The 52nd Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives\u2019 Committee opened on June 3, 2026, at African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the meeting set to prepare for the 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in El Alamein, Egypt, later this month.","published_date":"","news_description":"The 52nd Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives\u2019 Committee opened on June 3, 2026, at African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the meeting set to prepare for the 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in El Alamein, Egypt, later this month.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36190,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36188\/revisions\/36190"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=36188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}