The United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) was established in 2010 by UN General Assembly Resolution 64/288.
Mission Statement:
The mission of UNOAU is to serve as a crucial mechanism for the strategic partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU). It represents a vital aspect of multilateralism, aiming to support the AU’s vision of a peaceful, secure, united, and prosperous Africa.
As the UN’s representative office to the AU on matters of peace and security in Africa, UNOAU’s primary mission is to foster a more structured, systematic, and streamlined partnership between the AU and the UN. This is achieved through the implementation of the Joint UN-AU Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, following a holistic approach that integrates peace and security, development, human rights, and humanitarian concerns.
UNOAU is committed to aligning its efforts with the AU to advance this mutually beneficial partnership, continually reviewing and enhancing it. It also aims to build capacity, with a focus on conflict prevention and mediation, peace sustainability, addressing root causes of conflicts, promoting the Women and Youth Peace and Security Agendas, and contributing to the goal of “Silencing the Guns in Africa.” Furthermore, UNOAU is dedicated to supporting the realization of Agenda 2063, “The Africa We Want,” and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Mandate:
UNOAU, as an integrated office, was established to:
a) Enhance the partnership between the UN and AU in peace and security.
b) Provide coordinated and consistent UN advice to the AU on capacity-building and operational support.
c) Streamline the UN presence in Addis Ababa to improve cost-effectiveness and efficiency in delivering assistance to the AU.
The Joint UN-AU Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, signed by the UN Secretary-General and Chairperson of the AU Commission in April 2017, further guides the collaborative efforts towards peace and security in Africa.
Additionally, the annual Report of the Secretary-General on strengthening the partnership between the UN and the AU on peace and security issues in Africa, including the work of UNOAU, provides further insights into the progress and challenges of the partnership.
For more detailed information on the mandate and implementation of the UN-AU partnership in peace and security in Africa, relevant documents can be found on UNOAU’s official website.
