Conflict prevention, including early warning and mediation
UNOAU’s Political Affairs Division is working towards deepening the UN-AU strategic partnership in conflict prevention and mediation. This involves joint UN-AU efforts to achieve a shared understanding of the root causes and drivers of violent conflicts in Africa, in order to promote harmonized approaches to preventing conflicts before they occur, mitigating ongoing conflicts, and building the peace in the aftermath of conflicts.
In this context, the Division has led UNOAU’s joint efforts with the AU to establish an AU-UNOAU Cluster on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management. The Cluster comprises representatives of two Divisions of the AU Peace and Security Department (the Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Division and the Crisis Management and Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Division) and UNOAU’s Political Affairs Division.
The AU-UNOAU Cluster on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management is aimed at providing strategic guidance to relevant UN and AU Political Affairs Officers and Experts engaged in peace and security issues, so as to ensure enhanced collaboration throughout all phases of the conflict cycle. The Cluster meets on a quarterly basis to review the implementation of joint activities, and discuss issues of common interest and the way forward. It is co-chaired by the Directors of the AU Peace and Security Department and UNOAU’s Political Affairs Division.
As part of joint efforts to contribute to enhancing common understanding of the root causes and drivers of conflict in Africa, as well as conflict prevention/management/resolution, and peacebuilding, UNOAU and the AU Commission have established joint teams on conflict prevention, management and resolution. The joint teams are part of the AU-UNOAU Cluster on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management.