relationship between the United Nations (UN) and regional organisations, in
particular the African Union (AU), delivered by Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma, at the United Nations Council, New York
28 March 2007
At the 5649th meeting of the Security Council held on 28 March 2007 in
connection with the consideration of the item entitled "Relationship between
the UN and regional organisations, in particular the African Union, in the
maintenance of international peace and security", the President of the Security
Council made the following statement on behalf of the council.
"The Security Council re-affirms its primary responsibility for the
maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the Charter
of the UN.
The Security Council recognises the important role of regional organisations
in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in accordance with
Chapter VIII of the Charter of the UN as well as its relevant resolutions and
presidential statements in particular resolutions 1 625 (2005) and 1 631 (2005)
and PRST 2006/39. In this respect the Security Council recalls that
co-operation between the UN and the regional arrangements in matters relating
to the maintenance of peace and security, as are appropriate for regional
action, is an integral part of collective security as provided for in the
Charter of the UN.
The Security Council recalls the relevant paragraphs of the 2005 World
Summit Outcome Document (A/RES/60/1), in particular the support expressed for
the development and implementation of a 10-year capacity plan to enhance
Africa's peacekeeping capacity and welcomes the signing in November 2006, of
the Declaration on enhancing UN-AU co-operation between the Secretary-General
and the Chairperson of the Commission of the AU in the field of peace and
security (A/61/630).
The Security Council also recalls its Presidential Statements
(S/PRST/2004/44) made in Nairobi in 2004 and in New York (NY) on 20 September
2006 (S/PRST/2006/39) where it expressed its intention to consider further
steps to promote closer and more operational co-operation between the UN and
regional, sub-regional and other intergovernmental organisations in the field
of conflict prevention, peace building and peacekeeping and acknowledges the
important role played by them in the brokering of peace agreements in conflict
situations. The Security Council also welcomes recent developments with regard
to the co-operation between the UN, the AU and the European Union (EU).
The Security Council welcomes the growing contribution being made by the AU
and the resolve of its leaders to address and solve the conflicts on the
African continent, the Security Council stresses in accordance with article 54
of the Charter of the UN, the need for the AU at all times to keep the Security
Council fully informed of these efforts in a comprehensive and co-ordinated
manner.
The Security Council recognises that regional organisations are well
positioned to understand the root causes of many conflicts closer to home and
to influence the prevention or resolution, owing to their knowledge of the
region.
The Security Council urges the Secretary-General in consultation and in
co-operation with the relevant regional and sub-regional bodies to resolve
regional conflicts in Africa by using existing UN capacities as effectively as
possible, to support regional early warning and mediation in particular in
Africa, assess the risk of conflict at regional level and prioritise those
areas of highest risk and highlight possible methods at a regional level in
combating illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources.
The Security Council stresses that common and co-ordinated efforts
undertaken by the UN and regional organisations in matters of peace and
security should be based on their complimentary capacities and comparative
advantages, making full use of their experience, in accordance with the UN
Charter and the relevant statutes of the regional organisations. In this regard
the council recognises the need to build capacities with regional organisations
so as to improve our collective effectiveness in the maintenance of
international peace and security.
The Security Council recognises the peace building commission as a forum for
co-ordination between the UN system and regional and sub-regional
organisations.
The Security Council invites further collaboration with the Peace and
Security Council of the AU in order to help build the latter's capacity to
undertake, inter alia, rapid and appropriate responses to emerging situations
and to develop effective strategies for conflict prevention, peacekeeping and
peace building. The Security Council recognises that in some cases, the AU may
be authorised by the Security Council to deal with collective security
challenges on the African continent. In this connection, the Security Council
encourages increased exchange of information and sharing of experience, best
practices and lessons learned between the Security Council and the AU as well
as other relevant regional organisations.
Emphasising the primacy of the Security Council in the maintenance of
international peace and security the Security Council stresses the importance
of supporting and improving in a sustained way the resource base and capacity
of the AU.
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to provide a report in
consultation with the relevant regional organisations, in particular the AU, on
specific proposals on how the UN can better support arrangements for further
co-operation and co-ordination with regional organisations on Chapter VIII
arrangements in order to contribute significantly to the common security
challenges in the areas of concern and to promote the deepening and broadening
of dialogue and co-operation between the Security Council and the Peace and
Security Council of the AU.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
28 March 2007
