The African Union (AU) has entered the diplomatic fray regarding the escalating crisis in the Middle East, issuing a stern warning about the global economic and security implications of recent military actions. In an official statement released today, February 28, 2026, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, expressed “profound concern” following coordinated military strikes by United States and Israeli forces against nuclear facilities and strategic targets within the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Chairperson characterized the military intervention as a dangerous turning point that has elevated regional hostilities to an unprecedented level. The AU’s intervention highlights a growing anxiety among African leadership that a full-scale war in the Middle East will not remain a localized conflict but will instead trigger a “domino effect” of instability reaching far beyond the borders of the Persian Gulf.
In his communique, Chairperson Youssouf emphasized that the escalation violates the spirit of international cooperation and threatens to dismantle the rules-based international order. He underscored that such actions significantly heighten the risk of a wider regional conflagration.
”This military action has transitioned the state of aggression in the Middle East to a critical peak,” the Chairperson stated. “The African Union calls upon all involved parties to exercise maximum restraint to prevent the situation from spiraling into an uncontrollable global catastrophe.”
The Chairperson urged all stakeholders to align their actions with international law and the United Nations Charter, stressing that unilateral military strikes undermine the collective security mechanisms established to maintain global peace.
Perhaps the most pressing concern raised by the African Union is the potential for severe economic fallout. While the physical conflict is thousands of miles from the African continent, the Chairperson warned that the ripple effects would be felt immediately by African citizens.