This file photo dated May 24, 2013 shows the new conference hall of the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

ADDIS ABABA — The African Union (AU) and the United Nations have condemned the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa.

The joint call was made in a communique issued Wednesday after the seventh AU-UN annual conference that was convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat a day earlier in New York.

With regard to the ongoing situation in Sudan, Guterres and Faki said it is important for the warring parties to reach a lasting ceasefire and find a path to a negotiated settlement of the conflict

"The annual conference condemned the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa and stressed the need for a timely and peaceful return to constitutional order in Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Sudan, which are undergoing complex political transitions to sustain peace, development and human rights in the long term," the joint communique said.

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The conference also underlined the importance of effective conflict prevention, peace-making, peace operations, peace-building and sustainable development efforts to support the objectives of member states to achieve peace and stability on the continent. It further underscored the need to attain peace and stability in Africa so as to realize the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063, the AU's 50-year continental development blueprint.

With regard to the ongoing situation in Sudan, Guterres and Faki said it is important for the warring parties to reach a lasting ceasefire and find a path to a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

The annual conference also pledged to continue seeking practical strategies to better address the evolving conflict dynamics in the Sahel and reinforce the appropriate governance, development, security and humanitarian responses in the region.

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Guterres and Faki reiterated their call for predictable, adequate and sustainable financing of AU-led peace support operations authorized by the UN Security Council through UN-assessed contributions.