The UN and Africa’s Regional Organisations: An Insider’s Perspective

Abstract

This chapter offers an insider’s assessment of the effectiveness of the partnership between the United Nations (UN) and Africa’s regional organisations. First, the chapter interrogates the issues that underpin the logic for the partnership. Second, the discussion expands on the rationale for having a partnership between Africa’s regions and the UN, assessing their respective peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding processes of managing conflict. Third, the chapter provides a review of the work that has been initiated on peace and security, and critiques the partnership roles played by the UN and Africa’s regional organisations. In so doing, it seeks to address two fundamental questions: What is the status of the relations in this partnership? And how can the gaps identified within the partnership be dealt with more effectively? Finally, the chapter provides some recommendations for Africa’s future peace and security engagements with the world organisation.