At the end of the global peace summit on Monday 24 September, organised in tribute to Nelson Mandela on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the president and participants reaffirmed the importance of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and recognised that "eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge".
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker underlined in his speech that the EU was resolved to forge ever closer ties with Africa "because an alliance between the two continents, an alliance between equals, is the only way possible. Because the fate of millions of men, women and children depends on our joint efforts".
Juncker gave assurances that "the primary vocation of our European Union remains, and will continue to remain, a peacemaking work, the action of which must go well beyond the borders". He also gave assurances that "multilateralism remains, and will remain, the guiding principle of our action in the world".
Juncker called for new momentum at the United Nations – "the centrepiece of this multilateralism, guaranteeing peace and global order", which should be reformed and modernised, not challenged, he said, giving the UN assurance of the EU's full support in this exercise. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)