Amani Africa Monthly Highlights: September 2026

AMANI AFRICA MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

September 2026

HIGHLIGHTS

Research

I. Insights on the PSC

Amani Africa’s flagship work, Insights on the PSC, provides current information and independent analysis ahead of PSC sessions to inform the preparation for and deliberation of Council members on the agenda of each session of the PSC. During September, the series covered child protection, women, peace and security, regional cooperation against terrorism, and Africa Amnesty Month.

In addition to highlighting the persistence of the challenge of child soldiers in Africa, including the nature and scale of the six grave violations against children in conflict situations, this edition of the Insight on the PSC pointed out the finding that state and government forces accounted for more violations than non-state armed groups. It highlighted how the PSC advances progress in relation to the agenda on children affected by armed conflicts through stronger implementation tracking of earlier PSC commitments and accountability.

Ahead of the second Swakopmund Process ministerial seminar, the analysis examined the current state of the WPS agenda, including the policy-to-implementation gap across the prevention, participation and protection pillars of the WPS agenda. It focused on meaningful participation in formal peace processes, operationalising quota and parity commitments, predictable financing, stronger prevention and protection measures, and more systematic monitoring and accountability.

This edition of Insights on the PSC provided background information and analysis on the state of circulation of SALW and the use of anti-personnel mines, as well as outcomes of previous sessions of the PSC on the Africa Amnesty Month. To register progress, it called for moving from general discussion to concrete action in relation to specific conflict situations. It pointed out that this can be achieved through an independent report identifying the sources and channels of supply of arms in conflict situations, such as that requested by the communiqué of the 1218th session of the PSC on Sudan. It thus emphasised that ‘[i]n the absence of effective follow-up on such decisions, the commemoration of the Amnesty Month will remain part of the declaratory engagements disconnected from and lacking tangible relevance in respect to any of the conflict settings on the continent.’

The analysis considered how the thematic focus of this session shifts the discussion about terrorism from a focus on trends and technical responses to the political and strategic question of ‘how the state of relations among neighbouring countries affects their ability to respond collectively to terrorism and other security threats.’ Drawing on the 2004 Solemn Declaration on Common African Defence and Security Policy and the Declaration on a Code of Conduct for Inter-African Relations, it highlighted how this question affects the effectiveness of regional and continental responses to conflicts and terrorism in Africa.

II. Monthly Digest

The August Monthly Digest reviews the PSC’s key engagements during the month, including education in conflict, developments in the Sahel and South Sudan, the Sudan field mission, progress on Silencing the Guns, and consultations involving PAP, ACHPR and continental early warning mechanisms.

III. Ideas Indaba

Ideas Indaba is Amani Africa’s platform for workshopping opinion, commentary and policy debate on current developments that are of concern or interest for Africa and the AU.

The article revisits the AU’s 2011 Libya mediation to draw lessons for the APSA review. It highlights how weak AU–UN coordination, rejection of mediation by one conflict party, external military intervention and institutional capacity constraints undermined the AU’s effort. It underscores early coordination with the UN, securing buy-in from all conflict parties, stronger professional mediation support and greater coherence among African actors.

This Ideas Indaba article analysed the 18 September UNSC straw poll for selecting the next UN Secretary-General. While noting the strong performance of the frontrunner and the temporarily improved standing of Olara Otunnu, it established that the poll left the race wide open, with the possibility of some candidates starting to exit the race as several of them lost significant ground.

The article argues that the Horn of Africa is increasingly part of a single Red Sea security theatre in which external alliances, ports, drones, proxy relationships and war economies can erode rather than consolidate state authority. Framing this as a reversal of the idea that war makes states, it calls for peacemaking to become an instrument of statecraft and for the AU and IGAD to develop a sustained Horn of Africa–Red Sea framework.

Against the backdrop of Sudan’s worsening war and humanitarian crisis, the article argues that existing mediation mechanisms have produced a foundation but not yet a common strategy. It calls for coordinated Quad–Quintet action around a shared political destination, humanitarian de-escalation, external restraint, a disciplined division of labour and a time-bound action plan, alongside a minimum national platform from Sudanese political and civic actors.

STRATEGIC CONVENING, OUTREACH & MEDIA ENGAGEMENT

I. Policy Dialogue forums

Amani Africa convened, with the participation of Amnesty International, a policy dialogue examining how the Luanda Summit outcome and the APSA review can translate into stronger AU action for civilian protection, particularly in Sudan, the DRC and the Sahel. The discussion focused on recentering the principle of non-indifference, strengthening accountability, ensuring more effective AU follow-up on protection commitments, and promoting the meaningful inclusion of affected communities and civil society in AU protection decisions.

The policy dialogue examined how the outcomes of the Luanda Summit can inform the finalisation of the APSA review and strengthen the AU’s role in conflict prevention and resolution. It focused on practical ways to enhance the AU’s agency in major conflict situations, strengthen early warning and preventive diplomacy, and improve the effectiveness of AU peacemaking and mediation mechanisms.

II. Selected Strategic Engagements

Amani Africa hosted H.E. Ambassador Ewumbue Monono and Cameroon’s PSC team for a working session. During the session, the two sides held exchanges on the PSC’s October Provisional Programme of Work under Cameroon’s chairship. The engagement also identified areas for close collaboration during Cameroon’s chairship.

Amani Africa held a meeting with H.E. Ambassador Lemlem Fiseha. The exchanges focused on current PSC matters. Significantly, it served to discuss modalities for follow-up on Amani Africa’s recent engagement with Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on COP32 and our work on climate, peace and security.

Drawing on the body of work built over time and an upcoming policy brief, Amani Africa Director Dr Solomon A. Dersso outlined why the core gap in conflict prevention is political, what makes up this gap & its sources and what needs to be done & how, during a presentation at the AU PAPS Department expert meeting on how to take the outcome of the Luanda Summit forward on conflict prevention and the conditions needed for effective preventive diplomacy, including trust, sustained engagement, diplomatic persuasion, political buy-in and collective responsibility.

Amani Africa welcomed Ambassador-designate Yngvild Berggrav and Deputy Head of Mission Signe Guro Gilen to our office. On the occasion, we held exchanges on Amani Africa’s work, current regional and continental issues and opportunities to deepen our cooperation.

Dr Solomon Dersso highlighted the need for precision on the climate–peace–security nexus as a necessary requirement for avoiding policy incoherence. It underscored that the resolution of the adverse impacts of climate change, including on peace and security, depends on the implementation of the climate change commitments of adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage, while the value of the climate, peace and security agenda lies in whether it advances such implementation and whether it facilitates greater access to climate funding for conflict-affected and fragile countries, which currently have the least access.

Amani Africa had the pleasure of welcoming Ambassador-designate Annika Allman to our office. The occasion served to discuss Canada’s priorities as an AU observer, Amani Africa’s work and possible areas of collaboration.

Amani Africa welcomed an ICRC delegation to our office. It formally received the new Head of Delegation, Ibrahima Tounkara, and held extensive exchanges on shared priorities and areas for joint collaboration, including with respect to the AU’s theme of the year for 2026.

Amani Africa welcomed Pirjo-Liisa Heikkilä, Deputy Head of Mission of Finland and Deputy Permanent Representative to the AU. The occasion served to discuss Amani Africa’s work, the impact that Amani Africa’s work supported by Finland registered and ongoing areas of collaboration.

Amani Africa held discussions with a Korea National Diplomatic Academy delegation on how shifts in the global order are testing multilateral institutions, the implications for regional powers and the Global South, and prospects for cooperation and reform.

III. Media References

Amani Africa’s analysis continued to gain external visibility, with its work referenced by media and research platforms covering peace, security and regional developments in Africa.

  • An article published in the Guardian, Nigeria, made favourable reference to Amani Africa’s special research report on the APSA review. It noted, among others, that the Addis Ababa-based think tank, Amani Africa, in August 2026 provided ‘a detailed response to the AU report.’
  • Amani Africa’s analysis on good neighbourliness and regional responses to security and terrorism challenges was referenced by SPACE and Sin Cortes in their coverage of conflict, peace and regional developments.