African Union discusses practical cooperation with NATO

  • 18 Feb. 2010 - 19 Feb. 2010
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  • Last updated: 19 Feb. 2010 18:33

On 18 and 19 February, a group of high level officials from the African Union (AU) - led by Mr. Sivuyile Thandikhaya Bam, Head of the Peace Support Operations Division of the African Union - visited NATO’s Headquarters and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium. The event was organized by NATO’s Public Diplomacy Outreach Programme.

The visit provided a good opportunity for an open and constructive dialogue on a variety of issues, particularly NATO's role in the new security environment and the further development of practical cooperation between NATO and the AU.

At the request of the AU, NATO and the African Union have developed an increasingly fruitful practical cooperation since 2005. Also at the request of the African Union, NATO supported the AU Mission in Sudan and is currently assisting the AU mission in Somalia in terms of air- and sea-lift, but also planning support.

NATO is also providing, at the AU’s request, training opportunities and capacity building support to the African Union's long term peacekeeping capabilities, in particular the African Standby Force. This reflects the shared objective of bringing security and stability to Africa.