ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Norway has vowed to further strengthen its cooperation with the African Union (AU) on peace and security.
Crown Prince Haakon Magnus and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway on Tuesday kicked off a visit to Ethiopia.
Speaking at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) after talks with AU officials in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, the Crown Prince noted that the pursuit of global peace has long been a priority for Norway, as has ensuring respect for human dignity.
He has also noted that AU and Norway have extensive partnership on peace and security, which the Crown Prince said is the first pillar of partnership between the two sides.
Strengthening AU's civilian capacity for peace support operations, conflict prevention and mediation are among the cooperation areas between AU and Norway, according to the Crown Prince.
Hailing AU's achievements in addressing peace and security, the Crown Prince said, "The AU has shown leadership in addressing peace and security, the first pillar of our partnership. A lot has already been achieved."
"I salute all those who are working to protect the innocent and to combat violent extremism, including the many brave African peacekeepers," he said.
Reiterating that Norway has been directly engaged in peace and reconciliation in a number of countries, the Crown Prince said, "However, more often than not, Norway seeks to promote peace by supporting other actors such as the UN regional and sub-regional organizations, including the AU and IGAD, national governments and NGOs."
"Norway is a candidate for a seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2021-2022, and we hope this will provide an opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with the AU on peace and security issues."
Good governance and human rights as well as sustainable development and job creation are the other pillars of the partnership between AU and Norway, according to the Crown Prince.
