U.N. and AU to increase cooperation

UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (UPI) -- The United Nations says efforts must be increased to expand its relationship with the African Union and to move forward on security crises.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called preventing and resolving conflicts in Africa, including the deteriorating situations in Sudan and Somalia, a top priority for the United Nations and the AU. Ban, in a meeting on peace and security in Africa at U.N. headquarters in New York, called for deeper cooperation between the two institutions, the United Nations reported.

While Ban called for more cooperation, he did acknowledge that the institutions have been making some progress, working more closely together on peace and security issues including on border concerns and operational capacity on conflict prevention among other successes.

"We have established a dedicated team to help (establish the operation of) the concept of an African Stand-by Force, which would build on the valiant and pioneering efforts of the African Union's missions in Burundi, in Somalia, in Sudan," Ban said in a statement. "The Department of Peacekeeping Operations team develops training, operational capacity and technical advice, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the sub-regional organizations and donors."

The U.N. Security Council called for the AU and other groups to strengthen their peacekeeping capacity and called for the continued development of an early warning system on conflicts among other key security issues.