Lamola said securing sustainable financing for the continental body had become increasingly urgent.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola. Picture: Dirco
Pretoria will join fellow African Union (AU) member states in pushing for greater financial ownership and sustainability of the continental body when International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola leads the country’s delegation to a special session in Accra, Ghana, on Friday, 13 November 2026.
Lamola will participate in the 27th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council on the Financing of the Union, which will bring together African ministers responsible for foreign affairs and finance to consider the Report of the High Representative on Financing the Union and the Peace Fund.
Meeting
The meeting comes amid growing concerns among AU member states over the bloc’s dependence on external funding and the potential risks posed by prescriptive funding conditions and external influence.
Lamola said securing sustainable financing for the continental body had become increasingly urgent as traditional development partners redirect resources towards competing priorities.
“The financing of the AU is a discussion that is as urgent as it is timely, given the shrinking pool of external funding,” Lamola said.
He warned that without greater financial ownership by member states, Africa’s ambitions for development, regional integration, and silencing the guns could be undermined.
“Unless we match political ownership with financial ownership, our aspirations for development, integration and silencing the guns will be at risk at a time when their realisation is most needed,” he said.
Partnerships
The Executive Council will also consider a proposal to strengthen the strategic partnership between the AU and African multilateral financial institutions.
The proposal comes as the continental body seeks to strengthen its financial base and mobilise African resources to support its development and peace-building priorities.
The session is expected to advance discussions on strengthening the AU’s financial sustainability and ensuring that member states take greater responsibility for financing the organisation’s programmes and priorities.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Lamola is expected to hold bilateral engagements with his counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern.
