UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday asked the UN Security Council to create strong, formalized links and regular communications with the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) to advance peace in the African continent.

"This would enable the most effective division of labor, allowing for AU peace enforcement and counter-terrorism operations, backed by (UN) Security Council mandates, with predictable funding guaranteed by assessed contributions," he told a summit-level Security Council debate on "global governance after COVID-19."

"That is the only way we will build the coalition we need to beat terrorism on the African continent and fulfill the African Union's flagship initiative to Silence the Guns," said Guterres.

The AU-UN partnership is a model that the world body should emulate in its relationships with other regional organizations, he said. "We now have a strong African Union-United Nations framework on peace and security on the continent."

There is a need for a networked multilateralism based on strong links and cooperation between global and regional organizations, international financial institutions and other global alliances and institutions, the UN chief stressed.

Since he became secretary-general, he has prioritized a strategic partnership with the AU. The UN-AU relationship is characterized by shared values, mutual respect and common interests, he said.