1. The Security Council recalls its previous relevant resolutions and statements of its President which underscore the importance of developing effective partnerships between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant statutes of the regional and subregional organizations.

2. The Security Council recalls the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, reiterates its primary responsibility under the Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, and further recalls that cooperation with regional and subregional organizations in matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security, consistent with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, can improve collective security.

3. The Security Council expresses its intention to consider further steps to promote closer and more operational cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in the fields of conflict early warning, prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and to ensure the coherence, synergy and collective effectiveness of their efforts. In this regard, it welcomes the already existing strong cooperation initiatives between the United Nations and regional organizations.

4. The Security Council commends the ongoing efforts and contributions made by the Secretariat to consolidate partnerships with regional and subregional organizations and welcomes the convening of the Secretary-General's Retreat with Heads of Regional and other Organizations on 11-12 January 2010. The Council expresses its intention to hold in the future informal interactive dialogues with regional and subregional organizations.

5. The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, acknowledges the important contribution of regional and subregional organizations to the peaceful settlement of local disputes and preventive diplomacy, as they are well positioned to understand the root causes of many conflicts and other security challenges. The Council underlines the importance of utilizing the existing and potential capabilities of regional and subregional organizations in this regard, including through encouraging countries in the region to resolve differences peacefully through dialogue, reconciliation, consultation, negotiation, good offices, mediation and judicial settlement of disputes. The Security Council is resolved to strengthen United Nations support for the peaceful settlement of disputes through improved interaction and cooperation with regional and subregional organizations.

6. The Security Council invites the Secretariat and all regional and subregional organizations that have a capacity for peacekeeping to enhance their working relations and to further explore how their collaboration could better contribute to the fulfillment of United Nations mandates and goals, so as to ensure a coherent framework for peacekeeping. The Council underlines the importance of regional and subregional organizations enhancing their peacekeeping capabilities and the value of international support to their efforts, in particular to the African Union, in terms of the 2006 United Nations-African Union Ten-Year Capacity-Building Programme for the African Union.

7. The Security Council recognizes the role that regional and subregional organizations can play in post-conflict peacebuilding, recovery, reconstruction and development processes and affirms the importance of interaction and cooperation between Peacebuilding Commission and regional and subregional organizations. The Council encourages the Commission to continue to work in close consultation with regional and subregional organizations, with a view to ensuring more consistent and integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery.

8. The Security Council recognizes the need for close cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, as appropriate, for the coherent and effective implementation of its resolutions including those on thematic issues applicable to a wide range of conflict situations.

9. The Security Council encourages the Secretariat and regional and subregional organizations to further explore information-sharing on their respective capabilities and lessons-learned in maintaining international peace and security and to continue to compile best practices, in particular in the fields of mediation, good offices and peacekeeping. The Council also encourages strengthening of cooperation and dialogue among regional and subregional organizations in this regard.