NEW YORK — Uganda has called for predictable and sustainable financing of African-led peace operations, urging the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) to strengthen joint planning, streamline budget processes and establish practical mechanisms to support peacebuilding across the continent.
Ambassador Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, made the call during a high-level strategic review of AU-UN peace operations in New York, arguing that fragmented funding arrangements and delayed approvals threaten the effectiveness of missions deployed to conflict-affected areas.
Otengo said UN Security Council Resolution 2719, adopted in 2023, provides a framework for a more structured and sustainable partnership between the two institutions.
“Future operations must be guided by clear political strategies, with achievable objectives, measurable benchmarks, and realistic transition arrangements,” she said.
She added that mission mandates must match available resources while retaining the flexibility to respond to changing security conditions.
Uganda’s position comes as the AU Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) and the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) seek to strengthen cooperation following their Ninth Annual Consultative Meeting 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,” reaffirmed commitments to improving coordination between the two bodies and implementing agreed recommendations ahead of their 2027 annual session.
The meeting was co-chaired by Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco and Chairperson of the PBC, and Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of Cameroon and Chairperson of the AU PSC for October 2026. Uganda’s delegation was led by Otengo.
According to the Permanent Mission of Uganda to the African Union, the consultative meeting established six operational areas intended to translate policy commitments into practical action.
These include regular information-sharing between secretariats, cooperation tailored to individual country contexts, stronger institutional coordination, joint field missions, better alignment of development and peacebuilding financing, and quarterly progress reporting.
Cooperation will target regions including the Central African Republic, West Africa and the Sahel, and the Great Lakes region, subject to the requests and agreement of the countries concerned.
The proposed framework also provides for coordinated field engagements, subject to state consent, to align international assistance with local priorities, including initiatives led by women and young people.
The two institutions emphasised that follow-up measures should remain practical and flexible, operate through existing systems and respect national sovereignty and their respective mandates.
Somalia offers operational lessons
Otengo identified African-led operations in Somalia as an important source of lessons for implementing Resolution 2719, citing the experiences of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the newly established African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
She said these missions demonstrated the importance of African peace initiatives but also highlighted the need for reliable financing and coordinated transition planning.
Uganda wants critical operational capabilities incorporated into mission planning from the outset, including strategic mobility, advanced logistics, aviation assets, rapid medical evacuation, intelligence and surveillance infrastructure, reliable communications and sustained logistical support for deployed forces.
Otengo also raised concerns about differences between AU and UN budget cycles, approval procedures and deployment schedules, saying these could delay the availability of resources when missions need them.
To reduce uncertainty associated with extra-budgetary contributions, Uganda called for stronger resource mobilisation, diversified financing and continued contributions to the AU Peace Fund.
African countries are using the fund to strengthen local ownership of peace and security initiatives, but Otengo said international partners must also contribute to financing continental peace operations.
“The success of this strategic partnership will ultimately be measured not by frameworks adopted, but by our collective ability to authorise the deployment of predictably, adequately, and sustainably financed peace operations that protect civilians, support political solutions, and contribute to lasting peace,” she said.
Uganda backs coordinated peacebuilding
The AU-UN consultative meeting also drew on the 2025 review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture, reflected in resolutions A/RES/80/11 and S/RES/2805, to strengthen strategic alignment between the two organisations.
Under the agreed operational tracks, the AU Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security will work alongside the UN Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office, with the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development identified as a key operational vehicle.
Regional economic communities and regional mechanisms are also expected to contribute to improved coordination of peacebuilding finance and reduced duplication of efforts, while national governments retain ownership of their security strategies.
Quarterly written updates by designated focal points will track progress, achievements and implementation challenges, with reports submitted to the institutional chairs.
Uganda said its participation reflected its commitment to African-led approaches to regional peace, human security and continental stability.
The country is currently a member of the AU Peace and Security Council, which is responsible for preventing, managing and resolving conflicts on the continent.
The Permanent Mission said Uganda would continue advocating for partnerships that connect international support with African priorities and strengthen the capacity of regional institutions to respond to conflict.
The discussions place financing and implementation at the centre of the AU-UN partnership, with Uganda arguing that agreed frameworks must translate into adequately resourced operations capable of protecting civilians and supporting lasting political solutions.