- ‘Because we defend justice and principles, we defend, just as happened with us, the right to independence, the right to sovereignty, the right to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,’ says AU Chair and Angola’s President Joao Lourenco

ISTANBUL

EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday that conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo can no longer be viewed as local or regional disputes, stressing that they violate international law.

By allowing any state to ignore another country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and recognized borders, “we are allowing all the other countries to do the same,” Costa told a joint press conference with Angolan President Joao Lourenco after the 7th African Union-European Union Summit in Luanda.

He said the Europe-Africa partnership is grounded in shared values and support for a multilateral, international rules-based order.

“There are no alternatives for the multilateral and the international rules-based order… because the alternative is simply chaos,” he added.

Costa called for avoiding the “chaos” and for upholding the international order in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Sudan, and beyond.

‘Africa defends justice, principles’

AU Chair and Angola’s President Joao Lourenco recalled that the former Soviet Union was a key backer of African liberation movements during the Cold War.

It provided military and logistical support that helped many countries win independence from European colonialism, a contribution he said Africans “are eternally grateful” to Russia for.

“For any country, nothing stands above its freedom, above national independence, and the sovereignty of its people,” Lourenco underlined.

On the Russia-Ukraine war, he said Africa defends justice and principles.

“Because we defend justice and principles, we defend, just as happened with us, the right to independence, the right to sovereignty, and the right to the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said.

Next African Union-European Union Summit in Europe

The African Union-European Union Summit in Luanda concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration and closing remarks by the leaders, with the next summit scheduled to take place in Europe in 2028.

The declaration called for reform of international institutions to address global, regional, and national challenges and reaffirmed commitment to UN Charter principles, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence.

“These principles cannot be negotiated or compromised,” it said, urging all states to “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force.”

In the declaration, the leaders reaffirmed their “unwavering support for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace” in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, the Sahel region, Somalia, and other conflicts worldwide.

The summit agreed to boost cooperation on peace and security, climate action, economic ties, safe migration, and youth empowerment through education and entrepreneurship programs, Lourenco said during the closing session.

“It was agreed among us that the defense of effective multilateralism continues to be our best hope for building a more just, more balanced, peaceful, and prosperous world,” he said.