The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Youssouf Ali, has commended the recent agreement by Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to pursue a peaceful and diplomatic settlement of ongoing border disputes.

The announcement follows the High-level Tripartite Summit convened on March 16, 2026, in Conakry by the Heads of State of the three Mano River Union (MRU) member countries.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 18, H.E. Youssouf Ali praised the collective decision by the three governments to choose dialogue over confrontation, emphasising that this approach aligns with the African Union’s normative frameworks, including the 2000 Constitutive Act and the 2009 AU Non-Aggression and Common Defence Pact.

“The Chairperson highly commends the Governments of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone for the collective decision to choose the path of dialogue and pursue a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to ongoing border tensions,” the statement read.

He lauded the spirit of cooperation, good neighbourliness, and respect for shared regional stability demonstrated by the three member states, describing the outcome as a significant milestone in African-led conflict resolution.

H.E. Youssouf Ali noted that this achievement underscores the enduring value of African solutions to African challenges, reinforcing the principles of peaceful settlement of disputes among AU member states.

“The Chairperson recognises the constructive role played by ECOWAS and international partners, whose efforts contributed to this positive outcome. This peaceful settlement serves as a model for conflict prevention and resolution across the continent,” the statement added.

In addition to resolving border tensions, the summit agreed to convene a meeting of the Mano River Union within one month to revitalise the regional body and enhance regular dialogue on peace, security, and development issues.

The AU Chairperson welcomed this decision, reiterating the Union’s continued support for the governments and peoples of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in consolidating progress and advancing regional peace and security.

“The Chairperson applauds this collective decision to convene a Summit of the Mano River Union and reiterates the AU’s continued support to the Governments and peoples of the three West African countries in consolidating this progress and advancing regional peace and security,” the statement concluded.