The inaugural IPSS-UNOAU briefing organised in Addis Ababa in September tackled a broad topic on enhancing partnerships between the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communites (RECs) in peace and security. Categorised under two sub-themes, the briefing explored coordination challenges vis-a-vis best approaches for harmonising the relationship between the AU and RECs as well as AU Reforms outlined in report of the President of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame. 

Delivering remarks on behalf of SRSG Menkerios, Mr. Nurudeen Azeez (Chief, Operational Planning and Advisory Section - OPAS) emphasized that the AU can only be as strong as its constituent regions and, in that regard, welcomed the ongoing AU reforms and the critical role expected of RECs. He underscored that this briefing was a strategic opportunity in the search for practical solutions while sharing the UN’s commitment to the partnership with the AU in the various initiatives for peace and security. A next step he outlines, would be for similar discussions to be carried out with RECs in order to exchange views on how to scale up collaboration avenues within the context of the UN-AU Partnership Framework.  Other discussants included Ms. Raheemat Momodou, Head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Liaison Office to the AU; Zinurine Alghali, Senior Policy Officer in the Peace Support Operations Department (PSOD) of the AU; Colonel Mohamed Abdelrehim, North African Regional Capability (NARC) Liaison Office to the AU; Dr. Njikam Theodore, Head of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) Liaison Office to the AU; and Tigist Hailu, PR and Communications Officer at the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN).

During the briefing, participants agreed that a clarity on shared responsibilities is an essential requirement that would allow several stakeholders to work on modalities that go beyond the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2372 on Somalia. Looking into emerging and future trends in peace support operations, new aligned approaches for conflict resolution, shared information analyses, were some of the recommendations put forward.