Jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Government of the Republic of Ghana, the session takes place under the theme "Towards a Financially Sustainable and Self-Reliant African Union: Advancing African Ownership, Accountability and Institutional Effectiveness." Despite previous commitments to achieve financial independence, the continental body continues to rely heavily on external partners to fund its development programs and peace and security operations.
To break this dependency, Member States will be deliberating on an integrated reform pathway aimed at pairing institutional rationalization with stricter accountability. Key proposals before the council include transitioning to a unified programme-based budget architecture backed by a medium-term expenditure framework, alongside measures to improve overall programme effectiveness.
Deliberations will place a prominent focus on the African Union Peace Fund as leaders seek reliable, member-driven mechanisms to finance continental peace and security activities. Senior AU leadership, representatives of AU organs, Regional Economic Communities, and international partners are joining Member State ministers at the session to map out concrete steps toward long-term fiscal self-reliance.
