Uganda has participated in a high-level African Union and United Nations meeting in New York that adopted six areas of cooperation aimed at improving peacebuilding coordination, financing and accountability across conflict-affected regions.
Uganda has joined African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) efforts to strengthen peacebuilding across Africa through coordinated interventions, improved financing and closer cooperation with countries emerging from conflict.
The Ugandan delegation, led by Ambassador Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the AU, participated in the ninth annual consultative meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), held in New York on October 21, 2026.
The meeting, held under the theme “Advancing synergies and regional approaches in support of nationally owned peacebuilding priorities in Africa,” sought to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions and improve the implementation of peacebuilding commitments across the continent.
It was co-chaired by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, who chairs the PBC, and Cameroon’s Permanent Representative, Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, who chaired the AU PSC for October 2026.
The meeting reviewed progress following the 2025 review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture and committed to strengthening mechanisms for tracking and implementing agreed recommendations ahead of the 2027 annual consultative session.
The two bodies agreed on six areas of cooperation, including regular information-sharing between their secretariats, country-specific peacebuilding initiatives, institutional coordination, joint field missions, improved development financing and quarterly progress reporting.
Under the information-sharing arrangement, the institutions intend to exchange policy analysis, institutional best practices and collaborative approaches, including engagement with international financial institutions and regional development banks.
They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Central African Republic, West Africa and the Sahel, and the Great Lakes region, subject to requests from and agreement by the countries concerned.
Institutional cooperation will involve the AU Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security and the UN Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office, with the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development identified as a key mechanism for implementing joint initiatives.
The framework also provides for coordinated field visits, subject to the consent of host countries, to align international assistance with priorities identified by local communities, women and young people.
On financing, the two institutions intend to involve regional economic communities and regional mechanisms in coordinating peacebuilding resources, reducing duplication while ensuring that national governments retain ownership of their security and development priorities.
To strengthen accountability, designated focal points will submit quarterly written updates to the respective institutional chairs, highlighting progress, achievements, performance indicators and challenges affecting implementation.
The permanent representatives emphasised that follow-up measures should be practical and flexible, build on existing institutional systems and respect national sovereignty as well as the separate mandates of the AU and the UN.
Uganda’s participation reflects its stated commitment to African-led peace initiatives, regional security and sustainable development, with a focus on aligning international support with locally determined priorities.
The AU PSC is responsible for preventing, managing and resolving conflicts across the continent, while the UN PBC supports peacebuilding efforts in countries affected by conflict by mobilising international partnerships and coordinating resources.
The two institutions hold annual consultative meetings to strengthen cooperation and develop joint approaches to peacebuilding challenges in Africa.