New york, UN
The United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) held their Ninth Annual Consultative Meeting on 21 October 2026 in New York under the theme “Advancing synergies and regional approaches in support of nationally owned peacebuilding priorities in Africa.” The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco and Chairperson of the PBC, and H.E. Mr. Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of Cameroon and Chairperson of the AU PSC for October 2026.
Recalling the twin resolutions on the 2025 Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture (A/RES/80/11 and S/RES/2805), the AU PSC and the PBC welcomed the renewed commitment therein to further strengthening the relationship between the UN and the AU on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, including with a view to supporting the pillars of the African Union Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy for its implementation. They further welcomed the call to enhance the strategic partnership between the PBC and the AU PSC and, in this regard, agreed that the practical follow-up arrangements set out in this communiqué would contribute to following up on the implementation of relevant recommendations emanating from their annual joint consultative meetings. They also encouraged the AU Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) and the UN Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office (PBPSO) to further strengthen their cooperation, and, in line with the twin resolutions, encouraged PBPSO to further strengthen its cooperation with the AU PCRD for implementing the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding on the United Nations–African Union partnership in peacebuilding.
Further recalling paragraphs 9 and 10 of the twin resolutions, as well as the AU PSC decisions on PCRD related matters, the AU PSC and the PBC reaffirmed the importance of their partnership in advancing peacebuilding and sustaining peace in Africa. They underscored that peacebuilding is best advanced through nationally owned and led processes, supported by effective national, regional, continental and international cooperation. In this regard, they emphasized the importance of ensuring that international support is aligned with nationally identified priorities and complements, rather than duplicates or substitutes for, national and regional efforts. They also reiterated the shared commitment to support national ownership, regional cooperation, and the engagement of women, youth and local peacebuilders, in supporting national peacebuilding priorities in Africa.
Acknowledging that sustainable development plays an important role in addressing the root causes of conflict and constitutes a foundation for ensuring long-term impact of peacebuilding efforts.
The PBC and AU PSC recognized the importance of the decision, the Luanda Action Plan and the monitoring matrix adopted by the 21st AU Extraordinary Summit on 30 August 2026 in Luanda, Angola on Strengthening Conflict Prevention and Resolution Mechanisms in Africa.
The PBC and the AU PSC emphasized the importance of timely support for nationally led and owned peacebuilding efforts in post-conflict countries. They emphasized the need to invest in mediation, reconciliation and institutional capacity as part of sustained efforts to consolidate peace and prevent the outbreak, escalation, recurrence or continuation of conflict in an efficient manner, as well as address its root causes.
The AU PSC and the PBC took stock of the outcomes of their 2024 and 2025 annual consultations, which remain relevant, and recognized the importance of translating their shared priorities into sustained engagement and practical cooperation between annual meetings. Based on that, and in furtherance of the call contained in the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review to enhance the strategic partnership between the PBC and the AU PSC and to create a mechanism, within existing resources, to follow up on the implementation of relevant recommendations emanating from their annual joint consultative meetings, the AU PSC and the PBC agreed to strengthen follow-up and concrete actions between annual meetings through the following practical arrangements ahead of the next annual session in 2027:
Regular information-sharing: The respective Secretariats will facilitate regular exchanges on peacebuilding developments and priorities of common interest, including relevant analysis, experience and lessons learned and best practices on partnerships with regional development banks and international financial institutions;
Practical cooperation in identified country and regional contexts: Upon the request and with the agreement of the countries concerned, the AU PSC and the PBC may pursue closer cooperation and mutual learning in country and regional contexts of common interest in relevant situations in Africa, including, as appropriate the Central African Republic and South Sudan, West Africa and Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and the Great Lakes region, as well as in Southern Africa and the Horn of Africa, taking into account their different peacebuilding trajectories and existing national, regional and international engagements before the next annual session in 2027;
AUPAPS PBPSO cooperation: The PBPSO and the AUPAPS, through the AU PCRD Centre will support the follow-up of the areas mutually agreed by the AU PSC and the PBC, including by facilitating exchanges of relevant expertise and lessons, identifying opportunities for complementary engagement, and supporting the sharing of relevant evidence and learning from existing tools and mechanisms;
Joint and coordinated engagement: Where appropriate and mutually agreed, the AU PSC and the PBC may consider practical forms of joint or coordinated engagement in support of identified national priorities, including a possible joint field visit, subject to the consent of the country concerned, to engage with national and relevant regional stakeholders, take stock of progress and challenges, and help galvanize complementary support;
Greater coherence among existing support: In the identified country contexts as mutually agreed, the AUPAPS through the AUPCRD Centre and the PBPSO, working as appropriate with other relevant partners in line with paragraph 9 of the twin resolutions, will facilitate exchanges on existing peacebuilding, development and financial engagements, with a view to identifying opportunities for greater complementarity around nationally identified priorities.
Regular follow-up and review of progress: The PBC and the AU PSC agreed, in line with paragraph 10 of the twin resolutions, to conduct joint follow-up on the implementation of relevant recommendations emanating from their annual joint consultative meetings. The respective Secretariats, through designated focal points and within existing resources, will track the follow-up actions agreed in this communiqué and provide periodic informal updates to the PBC and the AU PSC, as appropriate, which will inform their next annual joint consultative meeting.
The PBC and AU PSC encouraged coordinated international support, at the request of the countries concerned, for nationally identified peacebuilding priorities.
The PBC and the AU PSC encouraged early planning with national authorities to ensure continuity of essential peacebuilding support during and after the transition, as appropriate, of United Nations peace operations and African Union-led peace operations, mandated by the AUPSC and authorized by the UN Security Council. They stressed that planning should take account of conditions on the ground and the capacity of national institutions to assume responsibilities and underscored the importance of nationally led and owned efforts in institution building and reconstruction, in accordance with nationally identified priorities.
The PBC and AU PSC emphasized that follow-up should remain practical, flexible and anchored in existing arrangements, while fully respecting national ownership and the respective mandates and decision-making processes of the AU and the UN.
The PBC and AU PSC reaffirmed their commitment to continue strengthening their partnership, in coordination with Member States, and relevant regional and international stakeholders, as appropriate, to advance nationally owned approaches to prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace across Africa.
The PBC and AUPSC agreed to convene their next joint consultation in 2027 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.