Security Council resolution 2033 (2012) [on enhancing the relationship between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union]
Symbol: S/RES/2033(2012)
Date: 2012-01-12
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/67 [9] REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS--UN
S/67 [100] AFRICA--REGIONAL SECURITY
Subjects: UN|African Union|UN. Security Council|African Union. Peace and Security Council|UN. Office to the African Union|UN Regional Coordination Mechanism (Africa)|UN-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security|UN. Security Council. Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa|Peace Facility for Africa|Charter of the United Nations (1945)|Ten-year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union|COOPERATION BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS|REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS|DISPUTE SETTLEMENT|PARTNERSHIP|CONSULTATIONS|REGIONAL SECURITY|AFRICA|INTERNATIONAL SECURITY|GOOD OFFICES|MEDIATION|WOMEN|WAR PREVENTION|INFORMATION EXCHANGE|FIELD VISITS|FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: AZERBAIJAN
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COLOMBIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: GUATEMALA
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: MOROCCO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: PORTUGAL
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: TOGO
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2033 (2012)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                12 January 2012




               Resolution 2033 (2012)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6702nd meeting, on
               12 January 2012

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions and statements of its President
               which underscore the importance of developing effective partnerships between the
               United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union, in
               accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant statutes of
               regional and subregional organizations,
                    Reaffirming its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international
               peace and security,
                    Reiterating that cooperation with regional and subregional organizations in
               matters relating to the maintenance of peace and security and consistent with
               Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, can improve collective security,
                    Recognizing that regional organizations are well positioned to understand the
               causes of armed conflicts owing to their knowledge of the region which can be a
               benefit for their efforts to influence the prevention or resolution of these conflicts,
                    Stressing the utility of developing effective partnerships between the United
               Nations and regional and subregional organizations, in order to enable early
               responses to disputes and emerging crises and to strengthen the role of the United
               Nations in the prevention of conflict,
                     Recalling its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009),
               1894 (2009) and 1960 (2010) and its commitment to their full and effective
               implementation and reaffirming the important role that women play in mediation,
               conflict prevention, as well as in the peaceful resolution of conflict and
               peacebuilding as expressed in its Presidential Statement 2011/20 of 28 October 2011
               and also reaffirming the importance of the prevention of and protection from sexual
               violence,
                     Reaffirming its resolutions 1379 (2001), 1612 (2006), 1882 (2009) and 1998
               (2011) on the protection of children in armed conflicts and encouraging initiatives
               by regional and subregional organizations and arrangements for the protection of
               children affected by armed conflict and encouraging continued mainstreaming of
               child protection into their advocacy, policies and programmes,


12-20623 (E)
*1220623*

S/RES/2033 (2012)


                     Welcoming the increasing contribution being made by the African Union in
               efforts to settle conflicts on the African Continent and expressing its support for the
               peace initiatives conducted by the African Union, and through the African
               subregional organizations and stresses, in accordance with Article 54 of the Charter
               of the United Nations, the need for regional and subregional organizations at all
               times to keep the Security Council fully informed of these efforts in a
               comprehensive and coordinated manner,
                    Recalling the Constitutive Act of the African Union and its Protocol relating to
               the establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and
               expressing its support for the ongoing operationalization of the African Union Peace
               and Security Architecture,
                     Acknowledging progress made in the ongoing cooperation between the United
               Nations and the African Union, and stressing the importance of further
               strengthening cooperation and developing effective partnership with the African
               Union Peace and Security Council consistent with Chapter VIII of the United
               Nations Charter to address common collective security challenges in Africa,
                    Recognizing the importance of strengthening the capacity of regional and
               subregional organizations in conflict prevention and crisis management, and in
               post-conflict stabilization,
                     Further recognizing that one major constraint facing some regional
               organizations, in particular the African Union, in effectively carrying out the
               mandate of maintaining regional peace and security is securing predictable,
               sustainable and flexible resources,
                     Noting with appreciation the collaboration between the good offices of the
               Secretary-General including his Special Representatives and the African Union in
               the area of conflict prevention,
                     Welcoming the contribution of the United Nations Office to the African Union
               in strengthening coordination and cooperation between the United Nations and the
               African Union,
                    Taking note with appreciation the efforts of the United Nations Secretariat and
               the African Union Commission in developing common guidelines that outline a
               framework for mediation in Africa in an effort to make the United Nations-African
               Union partnership more coherent when undertaking joint mediation efforts,
                    Welcoming the United Nations support for the African Union in the field of
               peacekeeping, including by supporting the African Union’s efforts to develop policy,
               guidance and training in particular in the areas of Security Sector Reform,
               post-conflict reconstruction and the protection of civilians including the problem of
               sexual violence in armed conflict,
                     Noting the need for a comprehensive analysis of lessons learned from practical
               cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, in particular with
               regard to the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) as well
               as the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), recognizing the need to build
               upon lessons learned from practical cooperation between the United Nations and the
               African Union and further recognizing the benefits of coordination of policy and
               strategy in this regard by the Security Council and the African Union Peace and
               Security Council,


2                                                                                                        12-20623

                                                                                               S/RES/2033 (2012)


                Further taking note of the report of the African Union Chairperson entitled
           The United Nations-African Union Partnership on Peace and Security: Towards
           Greater Strategic Political Coherence on the partnership between the United Nations
           and the African Union on peace and security in Africa,
               Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General on United Nations-African
           Union cooperation in peace and security (S/2011/805),
                 1.   Expresses its determination to take effective steps to further enhance the
           relationship between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations,
           in particular the African Union, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the United
           Nations Charter;
                2.    Encourages the continuing involvement of regional and subregional
           organizations in the peaceful settlement of disputes, including through conflict
           prevention, confidence-building and mediation efforts;
                3.     Further encourages regional and subregional organizations to strengthen
           and increase cooperation among them, including efforts to enhance their respective
           capacities, in the maintenance of international peace and security;
                 4.   Reiterates the importance of establishing a more effective relationship
           between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council
           including in the area of conflict prevention, resolution and management, electoral
           assistance and regional conflict prevention offices;
                5.     Takes note of the respective strategic visions of the partnership between
           the African Union and the United Nations as contained in the reports of the
           Secretary-General of the United Nations (S/2011/805) and the Chairperson of the
           African Union Commission and stresses that common and coordinated efforts
           undertaken by the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security
           Council in matters of peace and security, should be based on their respective
           authorities, competencies and capacities;
                6.    Encourages the improvement of regular interaction, consultation and
           coordination, as appropriate between the Security Council and the African Union
           Peace and Security Council on matters of mutual interest;
                 7.    Stresses the importance of a coordinated international response to causes
           of conflict and recognizes the need for the development of effective long-term
           strategies and emphasizes the need for all United Nations organs and agencies to
           pursue preventive strategies and to take action within their respective areas of
           competence to assist Member States and regional organizations to eradicate poverty,
           strengthen development cooperation and assistance and promote respect for human
           rights and fundamental freedoms;
                 8.   Reaffirms the obligation of all Member States to settle disputes and
           resolve conflicts in accordance with the United Nations Charter and calls upon the
           international community to assist the efforts initiated by the African Union and
           subregional organizations aimed at the peaceful settlement of disputes and the
           resolution of conflict in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;
                9.   Calls upon the Secretary-General to maintain close consultations with the
           African Union and Regional Economic Communities as well as with international




12-20623                                                                                                      3

S/RES/2033 (2012)


               partners on peace and security challenges in Africa, especially in prevention and
               resolution of conflicts;
                     10. Recognizes the important role of the good offices of the Secretary-General in Africa, and encourages the Secretary-General to continue to use
               mediation as often as possible to help resolve conflicts peacefully, working in
               coordination and closely with the African Union and subregional organizations in
               that regard, as appropriate;
                     11. Calls upon the United Nations Office to the African Union to continue its
               efforts to contribute to strengthening cooperation between the United Nations
               Secretariat and the Commission of the African Union including in the area of
               mediation efforts, and underscores the importance of expediting the implementation,
               in close consultation with other international partners, of the 2006 United Nations-African Union Ten-year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union
               mainly focusing on peace and security, in particular the operationalization of the
               African Union Peace and Security Architecture; as an important contribution
               towards conflict prevention on the African Continent;
                     12. Reaffirms the vital role of women in the prevention and resolution of
               conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian response,
               and post-conflict reconstruction, and stresses the need for the United Nations and
               the African Union to work to ensure that women and gender perspectives are fully
               integrated into all peace and security efforts undertaken by the two organizations,
               including by building the necessary capacity;
                    13. Urges the Secretary-General to continue to work to ensure that the
               United Nations Office to the African Union, the United Nations Economic
               Commission for Africa, and the United Nations agencies working with the United
               Nations Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa are delivering coordinated
               support to the African Union;
                      14. Welcomes regular interaction between the United Nations Secretariat and
               the African Union Commission, through the United Nations-African Union joint
               task force on peace and security, and encourages the Task Force to continue to focus
               on strategic and country-specific issues of the African continent that are of interest
               to both organizations and requests that the Task Force consider ways to enhance
               United Nations and African Union cooperation on conflict prevention in Africa and
               that it provide updates to the Security Council subsequent to its meetings;
                    15. Supports further interaction between the United Nations Secretariat and
               the African Union Commission to exchange information, and as appropriate
               coordinate in the preparation of recommendations, including through joint
               assessments, if appropriate, in order to assist the Security Council and the African
               Union Peace and Security Council in formulating cohesive positions and strategies;
                    16. Further supports ongoing briefings by Senior United Nations Officials to
               the African Union Peace and Security Council and that of the African Union to the
               United Nations as an important contribution in strengthening consultation,
               information sharing and communication between the two bodies on issues of mutual
               concern;
                   17. Decides in consultation with the African Union Peace and Security
               Council to elaborate further ways of strengthening relations between the two



4                                                                                                       12-20623

                                                                                             S/RES/2033 (2012)


           Councils including through achieving more effective annual consultative meetings,
           the holding of timely consultations, and collaborative field missions of the two
           Councils, as appropriate, to formulate cohesive positions and strategies on a caseby-case basis in dealing with conflict situations in Africa;
                18. Further decides to follow up on the Communiqués of the annual
           consultative meetings of the two Councils including through its Ad-hoc Working
           Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa;
                 19. Stresses the need to enhance the predictability, sustainability and
           flexibility of financing regional organizations when they undertake peacekeeping
           under a United Nations mandate;
                20. Reiterates that regional organizations have the responsibility to secure
           human, financial, logistical and other resources for their organizations, including
           through contributions by their members and support from partners and welcomes the
           valuable financial support provided by the African Union’s partners towards its
           peacekeeping operations including through the African Peace Facility, and calls
           upon all partners to continue their support;
                21. Requests the Secretary-General in consultation with the African Union to
           conduct a comprehensive analysis of lessons learned from practical cooperation
           between the United Nations and the African Union, in particular with regard to the
           United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) as well as the African
           Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in order to improve coordination when
           appropriate;
                22. Further requests the Secretary-General to include, as appropriate, in his
           regular reporting to the Security Council, assessments of progress on the
           cooperation between the United Nations and relevant regional and subregional
           organizations;
                23.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




12-20623                                                                                                    5