TUNIS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The sixth African High-Level Forum on Women, Peace and Security opened here on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for multilateral coordination to tackle shared challenges.

According to a statement from the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two-day forum provides a key platform to advance the agenda on women's rights, peace, and security.

In his opening remarks, Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti welcomed the African Union's (AU) decision to hold the forum in Tunisia for the first time outside AU headquarters, noting that it reflects Tunisia's commitment to strengthening cooperation with African partners at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

He emphasized that the current global context calls for greater solidarity and coordinated action to tackle shared challenges, particularly in peace and security.

Nafti also stressed that lasting peace requires preventive, comprehensive approaches that address structural causes such as inequality and poverty, which fuel marginalization and exclusion.

The opening session brought together representatives of AU member states, regional and international organizations, and civil society groups. ■