On 29 June 2023, SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga met with the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Human Rights Ms. Ilze Brands Kehris. Ms. Kehris was in Addis Ababa to co-chair the Strategic Steering Committee (SSC) meeting of the African Union Compliance and Accountability Framework (AUCF) project alongside AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), H.E. Bankole Adeoye, and the EU Deputy Head of Delegation to the African Union, H.E. Ricardo Mosca. The AUCF is a tripartite AU-EU-UN project which is aimed at enhancing AU’s capacity to ensure that AU PSOs are continuously planned and conducted in compliance with international human rights law (IHRL), including regional human rights instruments and international humanitarian law (IHL), as well as applicable standards of conduct and discipline (CD) pursuant to Communiqué PSC/PR/COMM. (DCLXXXIX) of 30 May 2017 and other relevant AU decisions.

Among others, the SRSG and the ASG discussed progress of implementation of the AUCF project, noting that human rights compliance is a key consideration for the possible funding of AUPSOs using UN-assessed contributions and that the project, therefore, provided a significant basis for AU to demonstrate its commitment and ability to deliver on its human rights obligations. The Principals further emphasized the importance of the UN’s proactive engagement with the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs) in Africa, alongside the African Union, including on advocacy for the AUCF project, to ensure broader ownership and sustainability of the project.