The UNEP Addis Ababa Office was established in July 2001. It is an outpost of the Regional Office for Africa, charged with representing UNEP at the Headquarters of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). It also serves as a UNEP country office for Ethiopia. The primary function of the Addis Ababa Liaison Office as a liaison to the AU is to represent UNEP at meetings and consultations by the AU Commission (Secretariat) and its eight departments (Commissions) each run by a Commissioner. The office also facilitates programmatic collaboration and partnership with the AU.