The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have renewed agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in operational support, institutional capacity development and peace support operations.
The agreements were signed at a ceremony at the UN Headquarters in New York on September 21 by the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Mr Atul Khare.
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The renewed frameworks comprise a Memorandum of Intent on cooperation in operational support and a Memorandum of Understanding on the Knowledge and Expertise Exchange Programme (KEEP).
Speaking at the ceremony, Haddadi and Khare stressed the need for the AU-UN partnership to move beyond coordination towards greater strategic alignment, shared priorities and practical cooperation.
Haddadi said sustained knowledge exchange, institutional capacity development and strong operational support systems were essential to enhancing the AU’s ability to plan, deploy and sustain peace support operations.
She said as global and continental challenges become increasingly complex, cooperation between the two organisations must continue to evolve through strategic alignment, shared priorities, mutual accountability and measurable impact.
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Khare said the cooperation between the AU and UN had demonstrated the value of sustained and practical capacity development based on shared objectives and mutual learning.
He said the renewal of the agreements would provide a foundation for the next phase of the partnership while further strengthening African Union ownership, institutional capacity and operational readiness.
The renewed agreements build on nearly a decade of cooperation under KEEP, which was established in 2016 and revitalised in 2022.
The partnership has increasingly focused on capacity development, institutional strengthening and knowledge sharing in areas including mission planning, supply chains, finance, human resources and information and communications technology.
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The inaugural STAR Programme, held in Algiers from July 19 to 23, 2026, further demonstrated the collaboration, bringing together AU and UN expertise to strengthen institutional capacity and operational readiness.
The renewed frameworks underscore the AU and UN’s commitment to practical cooperation, African ownership and preparedness for future peace support operations.