United Nations champions stronger partnerships between regional organisations

On 28 July, the United Nations Security Council adopted a new Resolution – UNSCR 2167 – which affirms the critical role of regional cooperation and calls for international, regional and sub-regional organisations to create partnerships. The Resolution’s aim is to enable the international community to respond more quickly and effectively to violent conflict.

UNSCR 2167 and more efficient conflict resolution

The debate that ensued focused on the importance of partnerships with regional organisations at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. However, it was argued that these partnerships had to be based on sustainable and fair working relationships, taking into account comparative strength and expertise. Many representatives stressed the need for more sustained financial support, instead of ad hoc approaches, as well as material support to troop-contributing countries.

The discussion was centred on UN cooperation with the African Union and the European Union, but also on closer cooperation with other partners such as NATO.

NATO’s value in this network of partnerships

NATO’s Civilian Liaison Officer to the UN, Ms Eirini Lemos-Maniati who actively participated in the debate, welcomed the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2167 and pointed to NATO’s long-standing partnership with the UN. She stressed the importance of partnerships in an increasingly challenging security environment where complex UN mandates were being implemented under major resource constraints.

Ms Lemos-Maniati also reiterated the more specific ways in which NATO had supported UN peacekeeping so far: first, through the provision of enablers such as logistical support, medical support or strategic airlift and secondly, through the sharing of expertise such as lessons learned and best practices on asymmetrical threats, counter-IED, planning, training and aspects of standardization.

Looking at future cooperation, she said: “NATO has unique assets and expertise to bring to bear. As the UN continues to assess the respective roles and strengths of its partners, the Alliance will continue to explore ways to deepen our cooperation and reinforce our support.”

Partnerships: central to NATO’s upcoming Summit

The NATO Civilian Liaison Officer to the UN also elaborated on the Alliance’s existing network of partnerships, which includes more than 40 countries from all over the world, and the immense mutual benefit this cooperation was bringing.

At NATO’s upcoming Summit in Wales, on 4-5 September, Ms Lemos-Maniati informed that partnerships would be one of the key themes, including the question as to how NATO could assist partners with defence and capacity-building related issues in order to help these countries project stability in their own regions.