NAIROBI — The United States endorsed a deeper AU-UN partnership to address conflicts across the continent, saying a UN financing framework for AU-led peace operations could be a valuable tool in responding to Africa’s security crises.
U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Bartos, envoy for UN management and reform, told the Security Council that closer AU-UN coordination is especially vital in Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Sahel, where conflicts and militant violence continue to threaten regional stability.
“Coordination and partnership between the UN and AU can help achieve peace, security, and prosperity in Africa,” Bartos said.
Washington specifically pointed to UNSC Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for UN financing of Security Council-authorized, AU-led peace support operations.
Bartos said such missions could strengthen the AU’s role in resolving conflicts on the continent while drawing on UN support and resources.
“The deployment of a peace operation under UNSCR 2719 will strengthen the AU-UN partnership and leverage the AU’s comparative advantages in addressing conflict in Africa,” he said.
The United States, however, said the mechanism should be applied selectively, with any operation kept small, time-bound, and focused on clearly defined objectives.
Washington said it would assess on a case-by-case basis where the framework could be most effectively used.
The remarks come as the AU and UN seek closer coordination over some of Africa’s most persistent conflicts.
On Sudan, the United States called for an immediate end to the fighting and backed efforts by the AU and UN, alongside other Quintet members, to promote an inclusive political dialogue.
Bartos also said the United States was considering measures to support efforts to end the Sudan conflict, including expanding the existing Darfur arms embargo to cover the entire country.
On eastern DRC, he said the AU and UN should continue supporting U.S.- and Qatar-led peace efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
The United States also condemned terrorist attacks, including drone attacks, in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, saying African leadership and AU-UN cooperation are essential to confronting insecurity in the Sahel and West Africa.
