United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 – Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security

Resolution 2719 (2023)

The Security Council,

Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and reaffirming the Security Council’s primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with article 24 of the Charter,

Also recalling Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations on regional arrangements and its competence under article 53 (1) of the Charter to where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under its authority consistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter as well as its oversight role under article 54 of the Charter, recognising that cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations in matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security can improve collective security and acknowledging the mandate of the African Union Peace and Security Council for the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa pursuant to the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union,

Mindful of all its previous relevant resolutions and statements by its President, especially resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017) as well as Presidential Statement S/PRST/2022/6 which underscored the importance of developing effective partnerships between the United Nations and regional organisations, in particular the African Union, and also recalling Security Council resolution 2457 (2019) on silencing the guns as well as the acceleration of progress in the realisation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,

Recalling the signing on 19 April 2017 of the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security on the African continent, and also recalling the Joint Declaration signed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on 6 December 2018, which outlined the guiding principles underpinning the cooperation and collaboration between the two organisations in responding to conflict and crises in Africa and may continue to inform the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations in meeting peace and security challenges together, which has enhanced consultations between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council,

Welcoming the Secretary-General’s 29 April 2023 (S/2023/303) report on the Implementation of Security Council resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017) and considerations related to the financing of African Union peace support operations authorized by the Security Council as requested in the statement by the President of the Security Council on 31 August 2022, and noting the African Union Consensus Paper on Predictable, Adequate and Sustainable Financing for African Union Peace and Security Activities adopted by the 36th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union held on 18–19 February 2023,

Noting the ongoing efforts of the African Union and its sub-regional organisations to strengthen the implementation of the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture to undertake peace support operations on the continent, including peace enforcement, consistent with the relevant provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirming, in this context, the significant contributions being made by African Union peace support operations in maintaining regional and continental peace, in particular the comparative advantage, as “first responders” with the political will in undertaking peace support operations, under the effective and direct command and control of the African Union,

Recognising the changing nature of conflicts in Africa and the need to be able to draw on a range of international responses and their complementarity to fit the specific complex operating environments and evolving threats, including in some environments the increasing use of asymmetric tactics by non-state armed groups, terrorists and violent extremists, as well as the sophistication of violent extremism conducive to terrorism, the deliberate targeting of peacekeepers, and the expanding influence of transnational organised crime,

Reaffirming that States bear the primary responsibility for the prevention of conflict and protection of civilians within their territories and further recognizing the role that regional and subregional organizations play in this regard and that national ownership and regional and subregional support is key to establishing sustainable peace, and noting the important role of relevant stakeholders in preventing conflicts, including countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism,

Noting the need to enhance and align the United Nations and African Union efforts to support the national initiatives to address the security challenges of the continent including through comprehensive solutions that respond to the root causes and drivers of conflicts in Africa and underscoring the importance of the primacy of politics and the need for coherent political strategies for African Union-led Peace Support Operations authorised by the Security Council, and affirming that lasting peace is not achieved nor sustained by military and technical engagements alone, but through political solutions, and convinced that they should guide the design and deployment of African Union-led Peace Support Operations,

Further underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to peace operations deployed in Africa and underlying the centrality of the United Nations in Peacekeeping Operations and the need to ensure coherence, coordination and complementarity between African Union-led Peace Support Operations and United Nations Peace Operations, in accordance with their respective mandates and avoid duplication of efforts,Noting also the progress made by the United Nations and the African Union in the joint planning and management of African Union-led Peace Support Operations, including in the areas of consultative evaluation, analysis, and assessment of African Union missions as well as the conduct of joint assessments and technical missions,

Welcoming the substantial progress made by the African Union since 2017 to strengthen its international humanitarian law, human rights and conduct and discipline compliance frameworks with the support of the United Nations and partners including the European Union and the African Union’s commitment to plan and conduct its peace support operations in accordance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, regional human rights instruments and applicable standards of conduct and discipline and underscoring the importance of a progressive implementation and evolution of the African Union’s adopted frameworks and its compliance in a manner that ensures the Security Council’s oversight of operations that it may authorize,

Also bearing in mind that promoting standards of compliance with international law, including, international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and conduct and discipline is an iterative and ongoing process requiring sustained support and dedicated resources including from partners,

Recognising the revitalisation of the African Union Peace Fund and the improvement of the Financial Rules and Regulations to support prudent management of resources and improved accountability, and welcoming the ambition to support African Union peace and security activities from the Fund, including Peace Support Operations,

Noting the significant contributions being made by the African Union, sub-regional organisations and its Member States, with the support of the United Nations and international partners, towards the maintenance of international peace and security on the continent and recognising the adverse impact that ad hoc, inadequate and unpredictable financing arrangements have had on African Union-led Peace Support Operations authorised by the Security Council under Chapter VIII of the Charter, and underlining the need to enhance the adequacy, predictability and sustainability of financing for African Union-led Peace Support Operations authorised by the Security Council and under the Security Council’s authority consistent with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter,

Recognising the various financing models presented by the Secretary-General in his report S/2017/454 on options for authorization and support for African Union peace support operations through which United Nations assessed contributions could be used to support African Union-led Peace Support Operations on a case-by-case basis, and stressing that any financing model to be used should be adequate, predictable and sustainable,

Acknowledging the existing efforts of the African Union and its Member States to share the burden of African Union-led Peace Support Operations authorised by the Security Council together with financing from United Nations assessed contributions, and determined to address the financing challenges identified with Africa Union-led Peace Support Operations and strengthen the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in support of the maintenance of international peace and security,

Also taking note of Communiqués adopted at the 1153rd and 1175th meetings of the African Union Peace and Security Council reiterating its commitment to further strengthen its partnership with the United Nations Security Council, for the maintenance of international peace and security, calling for the use of United Nations assessed contributions based on established parameters of the United Nations standards and building on existing practices to ensure access to adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing of African Union-led Peace Support Operations,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9518th meeting, on 21 December 2023.