The African Union has welcomed France’s announcement of its intention to recognise the State of Palestine, with the bloc’s commission chairperson calling it a significant step towards a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a statement on Friday, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said the French declaration aligns with the longstanding position of the African Union.
This position, he noted, was reaffirmed during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union in February 2025, which reiterated Africa’s collective commitment to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and statehood.
The chairperson said the development was a “significant step toward a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, grounded in international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.”
Youssouf reiterated the African Union’s “unwavering support for the two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” and encouraged other nations to follow suit in supporting the “legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
