The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) UNOAU, Hanna Tetteh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr. Solomon Dersso, Founding Director of the Amani Africa Media and Research Services, an independent pan-African and international policy research, training and consulting think tank based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The MoU was signed on 3 March and entails support to engagements between the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), in line with strengthening the UN-AU partnership in peace and security in Africa, and support through research and analysis. To this end, UNOAU will work together with Amani Africa to convene regular forums between the chair and president of the AUPSC and UNSC and members of both Councils for discussion and review of respective agendas and issues of mutual concern. Advocacy, outreach and stakeholder consultations on UN-AU peace and security matters will be enhanced through this MoU in addition to information exchanges on contemporary developments and policy issues through experts’ research reports on various conflict specific or thematic peace and security issues. The MoU will be implemented in the course of two years with regular consultations between UNOAU and Amani Africa.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr, Dersso noted that ‘Amani Africa warmly welcomes the signing of this MoU, which is sure to enhance institutional collaboration and close working relationship with UNOAU. This will be particularly useful to facilitate coordinated support for and engagement with the AUPSC. Equally important is the enormous value of the MoU in promoting the partnership between the AUPSC and the UNSC in the maintenance of peace and security in Africa through research and analysis as well as joint convenings.'