The institutions will conduct joint analysis, share knowledge and mobilise innovative financing for investments that contribute positively to peace.
Cooperation will also include stronger coordination and advocacy at national, regional and global levels.
The AfDB and UN will develop links between AfDB’s Transition Support Facility and UN financing mechanisms, including the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund.
The partnership is intended to increase support for conflict prevention, institutional resilience and sustainable development in fragile and conflict-affected communities. “This Letter of Intent reflects our shared conviction that peace, resilience and sustainable development are inseparable and must be advanced together,” AfDB Senior Vice-President Akin-Olugbade said.
“By combining the African Development Bank’s development finance and policy expertise with the United Nations’ peacebuilding and field capacities, we can better support nationally led efforts to address the root causes of fragility, strengthen resilience and unlock peace-positive investments across Africa.”
About 45 million people across Africa are currently affected by violent conflict, according to UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. “Peace is the foundation on which all other ambitions for Africa are built,” Mohammed said.
“By aligning our country-level work more closely, the United Nations and the African Development Bank can help national governments invest in more sustainable financing for peace, build resilience and offer a brighter future for the 45 million people on the continent currently affected by violent conflict.”
The agreement recognises that peace and development reinforce each other, while Africa’s resilience contributes to global stability and prosperity.
Although the continent faces conflict, fragility, food insecurity and displacement, the framework also highlights Africa’s demographic and economic potential.
The partnership will prioritise prevention, inclusive institutions, livelihoods, decent employment, essential services and stronger social cohesion.
The framework aligns with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the 2024 Pact for the Future.
Cooperation also supports the 2025 Sevilla Commitment on Financing for Development, the UN Peacebuilding Architecture Review and AfDB’s 2024-2033 Ten-Year Strategy.
The institutions said closer coordination would help national governments address the causes of instability before crises intensify, while directing more development finance towards projects that strengthen peace and resilience.
–AfDB/ChannelAfrica–
