By translating the UN–AU Joint Framework into concrete and operational cooperation, UNOAU contributes to strengthening the effectiveness of African Union peace support operations, including the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). In collaboration with partners such as the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the Office supports initiatives aimed at enhancing regional capacities to address the growing threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Somalia and across the Lake Chad Basin. These efforts focus on ensuring that AU peacekeepers remain well trained, adequately equipped, and fully supported with access to relevant UNMAS expertise, enabling the Force to meet the evolving demands of modern operational environments while safeguarding both mission personnel and civilian populations.
UNOAU provides technical advice and operational support during Joint Assessment Missions to N’Djamena, conducted in close coordination with the MNJTF leadership, to evaluate the Force’s exposure to IED threats and identify critical capability gaps. The findings from these assessments are subsequently consolidated into structured short‑, medium‑, and long‑term support packages for the MNJTF, jointly agreed upon by PSOD and the MNJTF leadership.
Mine Action
Mine Action and explosive hazard management constitute fundamental preconditions for human security and sustainable human development in post‑conflict and fragile environments. Early integration of Mine Action and explosive management planning into post‑conflict response enables timely humanitarian assistance, supports peacebuilding efforts, and facilitates broader recovery and development processes. These activities span a wide range of interventions aimed at reducing real and perceived risks to communities affected by landmines, cluster munitions, ammunition stockpiles, and explosive remnants of war; addressing the needs of victims; mitigating the economic, social, and developmental consequences of contamination; and advancing adherence to international humanitarian law instruments relevant to explosive hazard reduction.
Positioned within the African Union’s strategic frameworks, these activities directly contribute to the achievement of Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration 4, which envisions “a peaceful and secure Africa,” as well as Silencing the Guns, which prioritizes the removal of drivers of conflict and the protection of civilian populations from the impacts of war. Mine Action further supports the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) by enhancing early‑warning, prevention, stabilization, and post‑conflict reconstruction capacities. By mitigating explosive threats and enabling safe access, Mine Action activities create the necessary conditions for governance, justice, development, and the return to normalcy in conflict‑affected societies across the continent.