Thank you, Chair. For brevity, all protocol observed.

Excellencies, colleagues, it’s a pleasure to welcome you here in New York. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for stocktaking and for further strengthening the partnership and cooperation between the AU-PSC and the UN-PBC.

With regard to Agenda item 1, allow me the following remarks:
o We welcome the decision of the PBC to formalize its engagement with the AU. The standing invitation extended to the AU to participate in all PBC meetings was an important achievement in the follow up on last years meeting.
o We encourage further intensifying this cooperation, also with regards to joint planning and joint analyses. A joint action plan between the AU PSC and the UN PBC, that we agreed upon in last year’s meeting, could be an important tool. So could joint visits to post-conflict areas.

On Agenda item 2, we would like to thank Member States who presented their national experiences in the PBC for their constructive engagement and for their leadership. Just a few months ago for example, we discussed Liberia’s efforts to strengthen transitional justice and learned more about their national Youth, Peace and Security agenda. Sharing best practices within the PBC ensures that we continue to learn from each other, building on experiences and lessons learned from other countries.

In the context of transitions, we encourage a stronger role of the PBC already early on, before the draw down of a mission to ensure a smooth transition. This helps to maintain hard won gains and preventing security gaps. The PBC could serve as a platform to exchange views on National Prevention Strategies, implementing the focus on prevention that is laid out by the New Agenda for Peace and the Pact for the Future.

The upcoming PBAR is an important opportunity to build on the work of the last years to further strengthen the relationship between our two bodies. Germany stands ready to support the continuous partnership between the AU PSC and the PBC, ensuring African ownership and leadership for peace efforts in Africa.

I thank you.