US calls for Africa-UN coordination to counter insecurity

The United States has called for stronger cooperation between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to address growing insecurity and conflicts across Africa.

Speaking at the United Nations in New York on October 6, 2026, U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform Ambassador Jeffrey Bartos said closer coordination between the two institutions would help promote peace, security and prosperity on the continent.

Bartos said the UN, AU and regional organisations are currently involved in peace operations in some of Africa’s most fragile areas, making cooperation between them important.

He said the partnership should be designed to be more responsive and effective for the people affected by conflicts.

“The crisis in Sudan, insecurity in the Sahel, and the situation in eastern DRC underline this point,” Bartos said.

On Sudan, the United States called for an immediate end to the violence and backed efforts towards a humanitarian truce.

Washington also welcomed efforts by the UN and AU, as members of the Quintet, to support an inclusive political dialogue aimed at finding a solution to the Sudan conflict.

Bartos said the US was considering different ways of supporting the efforts, including expanding the Darfur arms embargo to cover the whole of Sudan.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the US urged the AU and UN to continue supporting peace efforts led by the United States and Qatar.

The peace processes are aimed at resolving the long-running conflict in eastern DRC and creating conditions for greater stability and prosperity.

The US also condemned terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, including attacks carried out using drones.

Bartos said stronger AU-UN cooperation and African leadership were critical in tackling the security challenges facing West Africa and the Sahel.

He warned that terrorism remains a threat not only to affected countries but also to the wider international community.

On peace operations, the US pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which provides a framework for UN financing of AU-led peace support operations authorised by the Security Council.

Bartos said the framework could help strengthen cooperation between the AU and UN while making better use of the African Union’s role in addressing conflicts on the continent.

However, he said any peace operation under the framework should be small, time-bound and guided by clear objectives.

The United States will continue to assess, on a case-by-case basis, where the framework can be most effectively used to support peace and security efforts in Africa.