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I thank the Chadian presidency of the Security Council for organizing this open debate on cooperation between the regional and sub-regional organizations on peace operations, with a focus on UN and AU partnership. It is the third time this year that we discuss the issue of cooperation between the regional and sub-regional organizations in the Council, which only confirms its relevance. Some 70% of the UN’s Special Political Missions and peace keeping operations are deployed in Africa. The continent’s regional and sub-regional organisations have been actively involved in addressing the multi-layered challenges facing the continent, and their cooperation with the UN and other regional partners, such as the EU, has evolved significantly over the years.

While the UN provides significant support to AU operations, many AU operations have been re-hatted into UN peacekeeping missions. African capacities are a critical resource for the UN peacekeeping, and UN support is a critical enabler for the AU operations. The effectiveness of the UN and the AU is thus interdependent on many levels. Equally, the EU plays a major role, by providing funding, as it does for AMISOM, providing a bridging mission, as in CAR, or contributing to capacity-building and training, as in Mali, where Lithuanian trainers are part of the EU training mission in Koulikoro. EU’s antipiracy mission off the coast of Somalia, in which Lithuania has participated since 2011, has been instrumental in reducing the threat of piracy in the region.

At the IV EU-Africa Summit earlier this year, the EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture and to supporting training and capacity building of African forces. The EU is working, through its African Peace Facility Capacity Building Component, to increase the capacity of the AU and of the Regional Economic Communities in planning and conduct of peace operations.

Such synergies between the UN and the AU, as well as the AU and other relevant regional organisations are critical for the overall success of peace-keeping and need to be further developed. Enhancing such collaboration, based on the lessons learned from recent transitions of authorities from AU peace support operations to UN peacekeeping missions is crucial.

Mr. President,

Owing to their knowledge of the region, regional and sub-regional organizations are best positioned to understand the root causes of a conflict and to take early preventive action, which is a key advantage in seeking to defuse a crisis before it explodes. Effective and timely partnerships can help prevent a conflict at its early stage, as recently demonstrated in Burkina Faso crisis, where the joint mediation efforts of the UN, AU and ECOWAS have proved to be useful to push the military back to the path of constitutional legality. This only reinforces the importance of strengthening AU and UN capacities for early warning, conflict analysis, dialogue and mediation, and the need for increased AU-UN collaboration in the area of good offices between the UN and the AU Envoys.

The strengths of regional bodies as first and rapid responders to African crises must be acknowledged and further developed. We welcome the AU’s progress on rapid deployment in response to emerging crises, especially those that endanger civilians, and the commitment made by African leaders to operationalize the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises. The development of policies and guidelines, as well as training for the African Standby Force, as part of the African Peace and Security Architecture, should be further supported.

Getting the partnerships right at the political-strategic, institutional and operational levels is important in order to increase the actual success in the field. Better understanding of each other’s working methods and procedures, and decision making processes would improve cooperation and increase transparency. Deepening the strategic dialogue between the UN and regional organizations as well as identifying concrete opportunities for joint planning at both the strategic and operational levels would greatly benefit the collective action on the ground.

Further strengthening relations between the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, including through truly interactive substantive annual consultative meetings, timely consultations and collaborative field missions would enhance the strategic partnership and help to formulate coherent positions and strategies to address the current crisis. More effective and frequent communication between the Presidents of the SC and PSC would contribute to timely exchange of information on the decision making processes.

A strong partnership with the African Union is fundamental in mainstreaming protection of civilians mechanisms in all peace and security activities, including through the Framework of Cooperation between the UN Office of the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the AU Commission Concerning the Prevention and Response to Conflict-related Sexual Violence, the designation of the AU Commission Chairperson’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, enhanced collaboration between the Peace and Security department of the AU Commission and the Office of the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict.

Closer UN cooperation with Africa’s regional and sub-regional organizations is also essential for tackling the terrorism and other trans-boundary threats. Enhanced intelligence information sharing and effective sanctions implementation are important tools in countering terrorism. The role of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) and the efforts of the African Centre for the Research and Study of Terrorism (ACRST) should be commended in this regard. Strengthening joint efforts in tackling human trafficking, the illicit flow of arms, illegal trade in natural resources, poaching, and combatting trans-national organized crime all require better coordination and coherent, systematic efforts by the UN and its African regional partners.

We look forward to the Secretary-General assessment report and recommendations on ways to strengthen regional partnerships in peacekeeping operations and further discussions on this issue. We also look forward to the report by High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations.