UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for "a renewed multilateralism" to boost cooperation between the world body and the African Union (AU).
At a high-level debate of the UN Security Council, Guterres asked for the further institutionalization of UN-AU cooperation at every level.
A sustainable partnership must be grounded in the trust between the two organizations, and it will also require stronger collaboration among the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, he said.
He also called for efforts to ensure the predictability of financing African Union peace support operations, and to involve and engage women and youth in the peace and security agenda.
"To foster resilience and prepare for the challenges of the future, we need to build more networked, inclusive and effective institutions to prevent conflict, reinforce good governance and boost service delivery. In short, we need a renewed multilateralism," he said.
Despite positive steps in UN-AU cooperation, the challenges loom large, said Guterres.
New conflicts are erupting, the climate emergency is raging and the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating fragilities, impacting disproportionally women and the most vulnerable, he said.
As in other parts of the world, trust is being eroded, which underscores the importance of good governance and respect for human rights, he said.
Terrorist and violent extremist groups are exploiting the uncertainty created by COVID-19, he said, reiterating his appeal that African-led peace and counter-terrorism operations receive Security Council mandates and predictable funding guaranteed by assessed contributions.
Guterres repeated his appeal for a global cease-fire.
