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The development of a strong partnership between the United Nations and the European Union (EU) is increasingly critical as global crises intensify in complexity and multiply in scope, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared on Monday.

"In recent years, the United Nations and the EU have made significant strides in working together for peace and security around the world," he continued.

He added, "But we still encounter difficulties in mobilizing early action before a situation visibly deteriorates."

As a solution, Ban explained, rapid and effective political engagement remained "the single most important element for success" in preventive diplomacy efforts as the two bodies continue to tackle a range of international challenges together.

The continent of Africa, in fact, offered the best examples of the comprehensive and complementary nature of the UN - EU partnership, he said.

In Mali, for instance, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSMA) was working "very closely" with the EU and "benefitting from the uniformed contributions of 13 European Member States."

Meanwhile, in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, as the UN mission there is known, has been working "effectively" with European forces, putting it "on track for a seamless handover by mid-March."

The experience, he added, showed the "tremendous potential for EU operations to deploy as bridging mechanisms to UN missions."

"Given the magnitude of the challenges we face, it is our responsibility to continue exploring scenarios where we can put our combined efforts to use," Ban continued.

In addition to the breadth of peace and security crises that had converged UN and EU attention, the uptick in global terrorism also remained a point of concern which required "a global and holistic response that upholds human rights and does not exacerbate the problem."

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UN-EU strategic partnership key as world faces multiple crises: Ban