A3’s UN resolution to finance AU-led peace operations under negotiation
The African members of the UN Security Council, the A3, for 2018 were Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea; and for 2017 were Egypt, Senegal and Ethiopia. In October, the A3 held a series of meetings with the leadership of the United Nations, including the Secretary-General, the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping and Field Support as well as the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights to secure support from the United Nations Secretariat for a proposed draft resolution on the financing of African Union-led peace support operations authorized by and under the Security Council’s authority.
The Secretary-General expressed full political backing for the draft resolution on financing and instructed his team to provide all the necessary support to the A3 resolution. The objectives of the draft resolution are to provide a framework which allows the Security Council to agree in principle that AU-led peace support operations can be financed from the UN-assessed contribution though the decision will not impose an immediate commitment but be decided on a case by case basis as recommended by the UN’s High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO).
Last month, negotiations started on the A3’s proposed draft resolution. A preliminary exchange of views was followed by two rounds of negotiations. The majority of the members of the Security Council were strongly supportive of the draft resolution, however there were also some substantive differences among the Security Council members. Consultation is now expected to continue in the coming months. The AU Peace and Security Council is also expected to provide further guidance and direction to make the resolution acceptable.
It has taken a long time to reach this point although the United Nation and the Africa Union in general, and the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council in particular, have joint frameworks and consultation mechanisms, intended to enhance their partnership to address the prevention of conflict and increase common understanding on the causes of conflicts in Africa. The issue of financing peace and security operations has been under discussion for some time and important decisions and resolutions have been adopted at both the Africa Union and the UN Security Council.
It was in 2015 that the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government decided to implement a decision on Alternative Sources of Funding for the African Union and its operations. The decision allowed Member States to enhance ownership of the budget of the African Union by financing 100% of the Operating budget, 75% of Programs and 25% of the Peace and Security Budget. The Assembly agreed the decision should become effective in January 2016 and be phased in incrementally over a five-year period.
Following this, the UN Security Council recognized the need to enhance the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing Africa Union-led peace support operations authorized and acting under the Security Council’s authority and consistent with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. The UN Secretary General presented a report to the Security Council last year on the options for authorized operations and support for the AU-led peace support operations operating under UNSC resolutions. Earlier, in November 2016, the Security Council through resolution 2320 (2016) expressed its readiness to consider the proposals of the AU, for future authorization and support by the Security Council for AU peace support operations authorized by the Security Council, including the suggestions for financing and accountability. It invited the AU to update the Security Council within six months of the adoption of the resolution, with details of the proposed scope of peace operations to be considered; the progress, benchmarks, and timelines for implementation of the AU Peace Fund, consistent with applicable international obligations, as well as accountability, transparency, and compliance frameworks for AU peace support operations.
In September 2017, during Ethiopia’s Presidency of the Security Council, the Council through resolution 2378 (2017) expressed its intention to give further consideration to practical steps that could be taken, and the conditions necessary, to establish the mechanism through which African Union-led peace support operations authorized by and under the Security Council’s authority, could be partly financed through United Nations assessed contributions, on a case by case basis, and in compliance with relevant agreed standards and mechanisms to ensure strategic and financial oversight and accountability. This would also take into account the work of the United Nations Secretariat and the African Union Commission, acknowledging the development of operations mandated or authorized by the AU.
The AU Peace and Security Council at its 770th meeting in May last year commended the African Members of the UN Security Council for their efforts which led to the adoption of UN Security Council Resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017). It appealed to them to continue spearheading the African Common Position on predictable and sustainable financing through UN assessed contributions for AU mandated/authorized peace support operations with specific financing decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis. The Peace and Security Council also decided to schedule a special session with the Permanent Members and the African Members (A3) of the UN Security Council to discuss predictable and sustainable financing through UN assessed contributions for AU mandated/authorized peace support operations.
The discussions on the proposed resolution on sustainable funding for AU peace support operations will now be carried forward by the African members of the Security Council for 2019 – South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.
