Renewed and strengthened cooperation for peace and security between the European Union and the African Union

Within the framework of facing the growing common security challenges, the Heads of State or Government of the member States of the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) announced during the sixth European Union- African Union Summit, renewed and strengthened cooperation for peace and security. The two continents maintain a long-standing cooperation whose founding principle is the search for solutions to African problems, within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (AAPS). This architecture which is enshrined in the AU-EU Memorandum of Understanding on Peace, Security and Governance (2018), designed to fight against instability, radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism, by tackling root causes of conflict and addressing the cycle of conflict as a whole through the integrated approach. They express their determination to deepen their cooperation by providing support for training, capacity building and adequate equipment, in order to strengthen and intensify autonomous peace operations carried out by the defense and security forces. African countries, through EU missions and assistance measures, as well as supporting law enforcement capacity building.

Together, they will also continue to contribute to peace operations support led by Africa and ongoing discussions on the use of UN determined contributions for operations authorized by the UN Security Council, as well as the implementation, in this context, of the AU human rights compliance framework. They will intensify their security cooperation, including in the area of ​​cyber security. They will join their efforts to continue to promote the rule of law and the implementation of programs concerning women, peace and security, children in armed conflict, and youth, peace and security, on the basis of concrete actions aimed at achieving lasting peace. They will continue to respect and promote respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.