The partnership among the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), and the African Union (AU) has advanced their shared commitment to sustainable, data-driven, and technology-enabled training for peacekeepers. Central to these developments is the second UN-NATO Defence Capacity Building (DCB) package (which includes four thematics: Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED), Adaptation to Extreme Operational Environments, Modernisation Innovation, and C4ISR, C-UAS and safety and security of peacekeepers, reflecting priorities in peace operations.

This year, the United Nations C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations (UNCAP) hosted high-level meetings and workshops in Entebbe, bringing together representatives from NATO, the AU’s Peace Support Operations (PSO) division, and the UN. These events sought to enhance interoperability and capacity-building across African peace operations. In April, May, and June, a NATO HQ delegation visited Entebbe to review technical cooperation in ICT and C4ISR training, refine strategic objectives, and plan joint training initiatives. Integration of climate change considerations and avenues for increased political collaboration were also discussed, notably through a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) programme. The meetings delivered revised work programmes, strategic concept papers, and collaboration frameworks to reinforce defence and security partnerships in the region.

Moving forward, the NATO and the UN are preparing deliverables and implementation plans for a new Defence Capacity Building package (2026–2028), promoting peer-to-peer cooperation and institutionalising the AU-UN-NATO triangular partnership in AI-enabled threat mitigation, C4ISR training, climate resilience, and peacekeeper safety. Delegates explored adapting NATO best practices to AU training modules, as well as scenario-based exercises and joint technical planning. The outcomes of the C4ISR Training Needs Assessment were debated to harmonise local realities with international standards, setting the foundation for collaborative initiatives in technology and security.

The successive Staff Talks in Brussels, Entebbe and Addis underscored 2025 as a decisive year in multilateral cooperation, interoperability, and shared governance, marking a significant step in redefining future peace operations