AU and UN Renew Agreements to Strengthen Strategic Partnership in Op. Support

At a ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, on 21 September, H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Mr. Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, signed the renewed Memorandum of Intent on cooperation in operational support and Memorandum of Understanding on the Knowledge and Expertise Exchange Programme (KEEP).

Both Ms. Haddadi and Mr. Khare underscored the importance of moving beyond coordination towards greater strategic alignment, shared priorities and practical cooperation. They highlighted sustained knowledge exchange, institutional capacity development and strong operational support systems as essential to strengthening the AU's ability to plan, deploy and sustain peace support operations.

"As a global and continental challenges become increasingly complex our corporation must continue to evolve from coordination to strategic alignment, guided by our shared priorities, mutual accountability and measured impact" said H.E. Amb. Haddadi.
"Our cooperation has demonstrated the value of sustained and practical capacity development, grounded in shared objectives and mutual learning," said Mr. Khare. He added that "The renewal of these agreements provides an important foundation for the next phase of our partnership and for further strengthening African Union ownership, institutional capacity and operational readiness."

The renewed agreements build on nearly a decade of cooperation under KEEP, established in 2016 and revitalized in 2022, with a growing focus on capacity development, institutional strengthening and shared learning across areas including mission planning, supply chains, finance, human resources and ICT.

The inaugural STAR Programme, held in Algiers from 19-23 July 2026, further demonstrates the value of this cooperation, bringing AU and UN expertise together to strengthen institutional capacity and operational readiness.

The renewed frameworks reaffirm the importance of networked multilateralism, and the AU-UN commitment to practical cooperation, African ownership and preparedness for future peace support operations.