UN and AU sign pact on improving humanitarian response in Africa

The United Nations and the African Union (AU) have signed an agreement that outlines key areas of collaboration on humanitarian issues, and which is also designed to strengthen the pan-African body’s capacity to deal with humanitarian crises across the continent.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) will govern cooperation and collaboration between OCHA and the AUC in several areas – early warning, disaster preparedness and response, coordination, and protection of civilians in situations of conflict and natural disasters.

The memorandum, signed at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Tuesday, is based on a cooperation framework developed by the UN and AU in 2006.

At UN Headquarters in New York, outgoing Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today welcomed reinforced OCHA collaboration with the AU.

“This MoU establishes a firm footing for strengthening the partnership between OCHA and the African Union in efforts to bring relief and protection to millions of people in need in Africa,” said Mr. Holmes.