African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has emphasized the urgent need to mobilize domestic resources to address Africa's "complex challenges" amid a weakening multilateral system and global solidarity.  

ADDIS ABABA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has emphasized the urgent need to mobilize domestic resources to address Africa's "complex challenges" amid a weakening multilateral system and global solidarity.

Addressing the 24th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council Tuesday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, the AUC chair underscored the vital imperative to mobilize domestic resources to finance Africa's critical development as well as peace and security operations amid rising financing gaps.

Africa is "facing complex situations due to factors that are local and external," he said, stressing that the continent "must adapt itself and count on its own domestic resources."

Acknowledging that the deteriorating commitment of external partners has caused "disruptions and uncertainties" in the area of health, food security, and trade, Youssouf called on AU members to address such "urgent new challenges" through greater solidarity.

"Local and domestic financing must be mobilized so that we can count on ourselves. We must work with the private sector as well as our philanthropies to be able to fill the financing gaps," he said.

Youssouf, in particular, singled out peace and security operations in Africa that "necessitate urgent domestic financing" among AU members and its partners. 

"In light of the profound challenges and the polarization of the world, I would like to underscore the importance of African solidarity and the coherence of our actions that we carry out for our continent, because we have difficult times ahead," he said.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the 55-member continental organization expressed concern regarding the impact of U.S. tariffs on African exports.

"The imposition of new tariffs on African exports will weaken the economies of our members," Youssouf said. "We hope, however, that the 90-day pause will be extended so that we can be able to prepare for this new situation."

He called on African countries to foster intra-African trade to withstand the challenges ahead.

The African Continental Free Trade Area and its various mechanisms "must work harder and transform these challenges into opportunities," Youssouf said. 

"We should open the African market to exports of members, further broaden the initiative of guided trade, and lift all barriers that still exist," he said.■