On 17 February, the United Nations Office to the African Union and the African Union Commission Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security held their annual retreat to align priorities and strengthen cooperation for the year ahead.
During the retreat, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, presented the department’s priorities for 2026. Participants underscored the importance of further institutionalizing AU--UN partnership through strengthened coordination and structured joint planning within existing partnership frameworks.
The Special Representative of the Secretary General to the African Union and Head of UNOAU, Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga highlighted the value of systematic engagement between the United Nations and African Union at headquarters and field levels. He reaffirmed continued UN support to AU led mediation and conflict prevention efforts and emphasized the importance of implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 and advancing the Common African Position on Climate, Peace and Security.
Both sides reiterated their shared commitment to strengthening the peace security development nexus and advancing cooperation on the African Standby Force and AU peace support operations. Participants also discussed the development of a concise AU-UN partnership results framework to guide joint action.
