NATO TV Channel: AU to develop co-operation with NATO

A GROUP of high level officials from the African Union (AU) visited NATO’s Headquarters and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium on Thursday and Friday.

NATO and the AU have developed an increasingly fruitful practical cooperation since 2005. 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 training opportunities and capacity building support to the AU’s long term peacekeeping capabilities, in particular the African Standby Force. This reflects the shared objective of bringing security and stability to Africa, added the statement.

Full report here below.

AFRICAN UNION TO DEVELOP COOPERATION WITH NATO
(NNN-KUNA) via NAM News Network, Saturday, 20 February 2010:

BRUSSELS, Feb 20 (NNN-KUNA) — A group of high level officials from the African Union (AU) led by Sivuyile Thandikhaya Bam, head of the Peace Support Operations Division of the AU, visited NATO’s Headquarters and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium on Thursday and Friday.

“Our visit here is to take forward some discussions that we had with NATO on how to improve the African Unions ability to provide better management support to peace missions,” Bam told the NATO TV channel.

On its part, the 28-member Alliance said in a statement Friday night that 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.

NATO and the AU have developed an increasingly fruitful practical cooperation since 2005. 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 training opportunities and capacity building support to the AU’s long term peacekeeping capabilities, in particular the African Standby Force.

This reflects the shared objective of bringing security and stability to Africa, added the statement. — NNN-KUNA