From 7 to 9 April, the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) participated in a joint United Nations–African Union–North Atlantic Treaty Organization (UN-AU-NATO) Workshop on Operational Training Cooperation, held in Entebbe, Uganda. This program was built upon the momentum of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2719 (2023) and previous UN-NATO staff engagements, reinforcing the commitment to strengthen collective operational capacities.

The workshop had three primary objectives: to identify areas for NATO-UN technical cooperation regarding Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) training in support of African Union (AU) operations; engage in discussions to outline and shape the future strategic direction and priorities to establish a new UN Defense Capacity Building in support of AU and explore potential areas and opportunities for political cooperation between NATO and the AU in defense and security matters

The workshop focused on advancing operational training cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of AU Peace Support Operations (PSOs) and addressed key areas such as policy development, ASF restructuring, capacity building, technology integration and strategic partnerships. Stakeholders, including representatives from the AU, UN missions, NATO, and training experts, engaged in technical discussions, scenario planning exercises, and reviews of existing frameworks to better align strategic goals with operational readiness.

Key outcomes of the workshop included the development of a comprehensive ICT policy for AU PSOs, including cybersecurity protocols; the implementation of advanced technologies such as AI-enabled surveillance; and strengthened ICT capabilities and cybersecurity resilience, aligned with the AU’s digital transformation objectives.