Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, 4 Dec. 2020, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "Cooperation Between the United Nations and Regional and Subregional Organizations in Maintaining International Peace and Security"]

S/PRST/2020/11View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, published in 2020.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Africa Cooperation Between Organizations Peacebuilding Peacekeeping Operations Regional Organizations War Prevention

What’s in this document?

20 paragraphs

On 4 December 2020, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security”, in accordance with the procedure agreed in light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and set out in S/2020/372, the President of the Security Council issued the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council recalls its previous relevant resolutions and statements of its President which underscore the importance of developing effective partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant statutes of the regional organizations.

“The Security Council reiterates its primary responsibility under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, and recalls that cooperation with regional and subregional organizations in matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security and consistent with chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations can improve collective security.

“The Security Council welcomes the African Union’s determination to rid Africa of conflicts and create conditions favourable for growth, development and integration of the continent as encapsulated in its goal of Silencing the Guns in Africa including its Master Roadmap outlining practical steps that underpin the actions necessary for its attainment of the goal of a conflict-free Africa as well as its African Peace and Security Architecture and its African Governance Architecture, in particular, its African Solidarity Initiative, Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy, Security Sector Reform Policy, and Transitional Justice Policy, amongst others.

“The Security Council commends the work of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union.

“The Security Council recognises that since the strengthening of the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, and with the efforts of Member States of both organisations, significant gains have been made in finding sustainable solutions to African armed conflicts and moving the continent onto a path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the African Union Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint for development.

“The Security Council commends the increasing contribution of the African Union to the maintenance of peace and security and its continued efforts to enhance the peacekeeping role of the African Union and subregional organisations, consistent with Security Council resolutions and decisions, to prevent, mediate and settle conflicts on the African continent, paying tribute in this regard to the courage and sacrifice of those serving in African-led peace operations.

“The Security Council expresses concern at the growing threat to peace and security posed by terrorism and violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism on the African continent. Security Council reaffirms that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever and by whomever committed, and remains determined to contribute further to enhancing the effectiveness of the overall effort to fight this scourge on a global level in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations of States under international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.

“The Security Council commends the efforts of African Member States and subregional organisations, with the valuable support of the United Nations and other international partners, in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism on the African Continent notably with the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad Basin and the G5 Sahel Joint Force, as well as the Nouakchott and Djibouti processes.

“The Security Council expresses concern about the dire humanitarian situations on the continent, including large-scale displacement, destruction to lives and the risk of famine and commends efforts by the international community, including donors, in providing humanitarian assistance in response to these crises. The Security Council also takes note of the efforts of the African Union in establishing the African Humanitarian Agency (AfHA) aimed at assisting African members states with coordinating, managing and responding to humanitarian crisis situations.

“The Security Council, reiterates that regional organizations have the responsibility to secure human, financial, logistical and other resources for their organizations, including through contributions by their members and support from partners and welcomes the valuable financial support provided from partners in this regard, acknowledges the need for more support to enhance AU peace operations and encourages further dialogue between the UN and AU to achieve this.

“The Security Council continues to encourage the United Nations and the African Union to strengthen their efforts to coordinate their engagement in a mutually supportive manner, across the range of possible responses to conflict – from prevention and mediation to peacekeeping and peacebuilding to post-conflict recovery and development in line with their Joint Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security particularly in ensuring effective implementation of peace agreements by warring parties to conflict, and in this regard, stresses the need to continue enhancing strategic dialogue, partnerships, more regular exchange of views, analyses and information at the working level to build capacities in relation to the preventive diplomacy tools, invigorate and engage potential and existing capacities and capabilities, particularly through United Nations regional political offices, contribute to the coherence and integration of their preventive diplomacy efforts, inter alia, through mediation and the Secretary-General’s Good Offices including coordination between the special envoys of the two organizations, as appropriate.

“The Security Council notes with appreciation the progress made in efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General to mobilize all partners and stakeholders, including the African Union, in support of more effective United Nations peacekeeping through the Secretary-General’s ‘Action for Peacekeeping’ initiative, which places high importance on the safety and security of peacekeepers, advancing political solutions, promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda, strengthening protection of civilians, supporting effective performance and accountability, strengthening the impact of peacekeeping on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, improving peacekeeping partnerships, and strengthening the conduct of peacekeeping operations and personnel.

“The Security Council expresses deep concern about the serious and continuous allegations and underreporting of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers and non-United Nations forces authorized under a Security Council mandate, including military, civilian and police personnel, and underscoring that sexual exploitation and abuse, among other crimes and forms of serious misconduct, by any such personnel is unacceptable, and commending the troop- and police-contributing countries that have taken steps to prevent, investigate and hold accountable their personnel for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse. The Security Council reaffirms its support for the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, and urges all troop- and police-contributing countries to redouble their efforts to take the steps necessary to vet and train their personnel and conduct investigations of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by their personnel and take appropriate steps to hold accountable those responsible.

“The Security Council reaffirmed the indispensable role of women in increasing the overall performance and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and encourages cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organisations, including the AU, in advancing greater participation and role of women in peacekeeping operations.

“The Security Council expresses its willingness to continue its cooperation and collaboration with the African Union Peace and Security Council on issues of peace and security in Africa, building on the annual joint consultative meetings between the Members of the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council.

“The Security Council reaffirmed the important role of women and youth in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding as well as in post-conflict situations, encourages the United Nations and the African Union to continue to make use of their annual consultations to encourage the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda as it relates to their specific contexts, and further encourages cooperation and sharing of best practices as they relate to implementation of the agenda, as requested by regional and subregional organizations.

“The Security Council reaffirmed the important and positive contribution youth can make to the efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, prevention and resolution of conflicts and as a key aspect of the sustainability, inclusiveness and success of peacekeeping and peace building efforts.

“The Security Council emphasizes also the need for joint action between the UN and AU to end sexual violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations, stresses the importance of the full implementation of the measures for the prevention and response to Sexual Violence in conflict in relevant Security Council resolutions.

“The Security Council emphasizes the importance of addressing the fundamental root causes and the drivers of conflicts in Africa and calls for all stakeholders to intensify their efforts towards the realization of the objectives outlined in the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

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