STATEMENT BY MARTHA AMA AKYAA POBEE, SPECIAL REREPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING
New York
02 OCTOBER 2024
The unanimous adoption of resolution 2719 (2023) marked a major milestone in the partnership between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations. It built on the enduring relationship between the two organizations, taking into account their respective strengths and comparative advantages. Through that resolution, the Security Council responded to longstanding calls, including by the Secretary-General, to support AU-led peace support operations, such as peace enforcement and counter-terrorism operations, with mandates from the Council and through United Nations assessed contributions, on a case-by-case basis. Since the adoption of resolution 2719 (2023), the Secretariat has intensified its collaboration with the African Union Commission. As a result, significant progress has already been achieved towards the operationalization of the resolution. We worked to develop a common understanding of the resolution and its implications for both the African Union and the United Nations. The focus of our collective work was on achieving greater institutional and operational readiness to ensure its effective implementation. In that regard, we established a United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security, comprised of representatives from all relevant entities within both the Secretariat and the Commission, to shepherd the process. Meetings were held at the senior and technical levels. The United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force met at the technical level twice, first in Addis Ababa from 23 to 24 May and then in New York from 29 to 31 July. The Joint Task Force has also held a series of virtual consultations. During those consultations, the United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force team discussed four key areas.
The first area was joint planning, decision-making and reporting. A shared understanding has emerged within the Secretariat and the Commission of the need for close working relations between the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the United Nations Security Council. Such collaboration is crucial to ensure smooth joint planning and the rapid deployment of AU-led peace operations under resolution 2719 (2023). We are also developing joint planning processes building on our shared experience and taking into account the existing collaboration platforms between our two organizations. In that regard, we look forward to the outcome of the joint consultation between the two Councils later this month, when resolution 2719 (2023) will be discussed.
The second area was mission support. There was a recognition that the operational sustainment of African Union-led peace operations requires enhanced collaboration on operational support. It also requires a review of operational frameworks and modalities to ensure that they are fit for purpose to meet the demands of rapid deployment.
The third area was financing and budgeting. Financial considerations and arrangements must feature prominently throughout the planning implementation phases, from start-up to mission closure, and be compliant and consistent with resolution 2719 (2023).
The fourth area was human rights compliance, conduct and discipline and the protection of civilians. Compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law and applicable standards of conduct and discipline, as well as the prioritization of the protection of civilians, are requirements laid out by the Security Council for any African Union-led operations accessing United Nations assessed contributions.
The implementation of resolution 2719 (2023) will no doubt present complex challenges in that regard, specifically when it comes to peace enforcement missions, owing to the inherent risks. The Joint Task Force agreed on a draft African Union-United Nations road map on the operationalization of resolution 2719 (2023). That draft road map builds on decades of shared lessons learned, operational experience and collaboration between the two organizations. We recognize that strengthening the institutional and operational readiness of the Secretariat and the Commission will be an ongoing process. The road map will therefore serve as a framework for continuously strengthening overall performance and impact. The Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission are expected to endorse the draft road map at their annual conference in Addis Ababa later this month.
The African Union and the United Nations have adopted a flexible and forward-leaning approach to institutional and operational readiness for the implementation of resolution 2719 (2023). In that regard, the full implementation of the joint African Union-United Nations road map, once officially endorsed by the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, does not constitute a prerequisite for implementing resolution 2719 (2023) in a specific context. Accordingly, should the Peace and Security Council of the African Union decide to mandate an African Union-led peace support operation and should the Security Council decide to authorize it under the resolution 2719 (2023) framework, the African Union Commission and the Secretariat will be ready to launch and support that peace operation.
A possible first test-case for the implementation of the resolution 2719 (2023) framework is currently being discussed. Indeed, based on resolution 2748 (2024), the African Union Commission and the Secretariat, in consultation with the Federal Government of Somalia and the relevant international and regional stakeholders and partners, are jointly planning for the successor mission to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia and the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia. As requested by the Security Council, we are preparing a report that articulates clearly a range of options for financing the latter Mission, including but not limited to, the framework established by resolution 2719 (2023), other suitable alternatives or some combination of those options. We will also provide an update to the Council on the status of the implementation of resolution 2748 (2024) on 10 October. More broadly, a report on the overall implementation of resolution 2719 (2023) will be submitted by the end of the year. The report will provide further details on this new and critical aspect of the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations.
The support of the Council, as well as that of the States members of the African Union and the wider United Nations membership, will remain essential for the successful deployment of an African Union-led peace support operation under the resolution 2719 (2023) framework. Together, the African Union Commission and the Secretariat stand ready to translate resolution 2719 (2023) into tangible actions that would contribute to lasting peace and stability on the African continent beyond.