Open Session on the Implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration in the Promotion of Education for the Children Affected by Armed Conflicts in Africa
Amani Africa
Date | 11 March, 2020
Tomorrow (12 March) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council will convene an open session on the Implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration in the Promotion of Education for the Children Affected by Armed Conflicts in Africa. Sarah Anyang-Agbor Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) and Admore Kambudzi, Director for Peace and Security Department are expected to deliver opening statements. Ambassador of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea may make a statement as the chair of the month.
Following the opening remarks a panel consisting of the African Committee on the Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) secretariat, CSOs and children affected by armed conflicts will also make a presentation on the topic within the context of Silencing the Guns. A representative from Save the Children, as a partner leading on the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) policy work in the PSC is also expected to make a presentation. The presentations are expected to examine the lessons learned and the way forward.
The deliberate target of schools by belligerent parties has deprived children of attaining their fundamental right to education in many conflict-affected countries in Africa. With the growing threat of terrorism and organized crime education facilities have been susceptible to these security threats. Although African member states have adopted a number of policy instruments to curb these violations, there is still need for strengthened protection regimes at national levels. Tomorrow’s session will focus on one of the global initiatives, which African countries are part of, the SSD.
As noted in the concept note the objective of the open session is to assess progress on the implementation of the SSD in the promotion of education for children affected by armed conflicts in Africa. The SSD, which was adopted in 2015, is a global intergovernmental initiative that aims at advancing the protection of education and limits the use of schools and universities for military purposes. The declaration makes emphasis on the need to collect data on attacks of educational facilities and victims, the need to continue education during conflict and investigate allegation of violations to provide assistance and justice to victims.
Since its adoption in 2015 three international conferences on safe schools have taken place every two years to assess the challenges and best practices across the world. In Africa, so far 28 countries have endorsed the declaration and tomorrow’s session may serve as a platform to exchange views on the level of implementation and the kind of impact the declaration has on the actual protection and promotion of the children’s rights. There is a wealth of practice and experience, which can be shared from various African countries. The session may also be an opportunity to remind member states that have not endorsed yet to do so and those that have, to strengthen their implementation and reporting mechanisms.
The presentations may also examine to what extent the ‘Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict’ are observed by members that have endorsed the SSD. The guideline amongst other issues includes the restriction on the use of schools and universities including abandoned ones, to refrain from the destruction of such facilities and avoid employing fighting forces to provide security to schools and universities.
The PSC has addressed the broader issue of CAAC since 2010 and has tabled it as a standing agenda item since 2014. Hence, while discussing this global commitment it will also be useful to place it within the context of existing policy and legal instruments of the AU. In this regard the presentation by the ACERWC secretariat may be beneficial in reminding member states of their obligations and responsibilities under African legal instruments namely the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child in addressing attacks on schools.
The other speakers and representatives of NGOs may also shed lights on the experiences at the national level. Presenters may share on country level policies and practices on making schools safe through the protection of education from attacks and military use in targeted member states. Cases from Kenya, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Nigeria are expected to feature.
Within the context of this year’s theme, Silencing the Guns, the session may further discuss on mechanisms to integrate the issue of CAAC in the peace and security agenda. It may be of interest for presenters and participants to reflect on how existing policy mechanisms can support the review and follow the implementation of provisions related to CAAC and more specifically the protection of educational facilities.
At the AU Commission level, the work on safe schools requires the close collaboration of the HRST and PSD. The HRST Commissioner may also speak on the AU Continental Strategy on Education in Africa (2016-2025) and on mechanisms to integrate the safe schools agenda in the AU policy space. PSD as well may discuss further on how the protection of educational facilities can be ensured in conflict settings.
African member states that have endorsed the SSD and which have started implementation may also make intervention and share their practices. Other than African countries representatives of Norway and Argentina may also make statements as co-leads of the initiative and to also present an overview of the global endeavors.
Attacks on schools constitute one of the six grave violations against children in conflict situation, which the UNSC has recognized. The inclusion of children’s protection in peace processes as well as other various peace and security efforts remains central in order to address the effects of conflict on children. A UNSC presidential statement on Children and Armed Conflicts released on 12 February 2020 called for the integration of child protection provisions into peace into peace negotiations, ceasefire and peace agreements, and in provisions for ceasefire monitoring, as well as the centrality of ensuring that children’s views and experiences are captured.
The expected outcome is a press statement. The Council, beyond calling on member states to endorse the SSD, it may urge governments to take practical measures towards the protection of educational facilities. The PSC may further emphasis that children’s access to education is their fundamental right and governments have the obligation to keep students and schools safe. The PSC may underline that education is also an enabler for countries to recover from conflicts and crisis as well as the basis for the continent’s socio-economic development.
PSC Provisional Program of Work for April 2020 under new meeting formats
Amani Africa
Date | April 2020
One of the consequences of the novel coronavirus (COVID19) on the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council has been the freezing by the PSC its meetings in person. As a standing decision-making body on matters of peace and security in Africa, the inability of the PSC to convene meetings in person presented a major challenge for the continuity of its work. During March, the PSC was forced to suspend its activities and hence was unable to implement its program of work for the month as initially planned.
To prevent the emergence of a void in peace and security decision-making and enable the PSC to carry out its essential functions during this period, the PSC sought to find interim methods of conducting its business. Two interim working arrangements have been agreed in lieu of its usual meetings in person (Amani Africa will publish a special research report on this). Following the assumption by Kenya of the chairpersonship of the PSC for April, a program of work of the PSC for the month (whose overview is discussed below) was finalized. To carry out the monthly program of work, the PSC will be utilizing two mechanisms for meeting remotely and exchanging electronically on the agenda of a particular session.
The provisional program of work finalized via electronic communications involves some five substantive sessions including briefings on the current COVID19 outbreak and its impact on peace and security in Africa. On 9 April, the PSC will consider two agenda items. First it will receive an update on the situation in South Sudan. It is to be recalled that the PSC has conducted a field mission to South Sudan in February 2020 and considered the report of the field mission in March. Following the session on South Sudan, the PSC will then receive a ‘briefing on the humanitarian situation in the countries affected by the desert locust menace in Africa’. The briefings are expected to be circulated to all PSC Members through emails and the expected outcome will be circulated through the silence procedure as per the PSC Manual on Working Methods.
On 14 April the PSC will receive a briefing by Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) on the implications of COVID19 on peace and security in Africa. While much of the continental response including the two AU Assembly Bureau teleconference meetings has been on the public health and the socio-economic impact of COVDI19, this session provides a muchneeded focus on the peace and security impact of COVID19.
This session is expected to take place using a virtual communication platform with members of the PSC joining to discuss the agenda of the session remotely. On 16 April the PSC will consider and adopt the provisional program of work for the month of May. The draft agenda will be circulated with all members for comments.
On 21 April the PSC will hold a discussion on the implementation of the decisions relating to peace and security adopted by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU. This may include follow up on key decisions taken on the Sahel region and Libya. It is envisaged that the Matrix of the Summit Decisions will be circulated to all PSC Members by 15 April 2020. The most notable aspect of this session is expected to be the initiative for deploying 3000 AU troops to the Sahel region in support of the efforts of the countries of the Sahel.
Similar to the 14 April session, this one is expected to take place through virtual meeting which will allow PSC Members to join the session online. On 23 April the African common position paper on financing AU peace support operations will be shared to all PSC Members for comments.
On 28 April the PSC will have a briefing session on IDPs, refugees and returnees in the context of COVID19 pandemic. Similar to the previous COVID19 briefing, this meeting is also expected to take place virtually. In addition to these agenda items, the provisional program of work indicates in footnotes a PSC session to consider the renewal of the mandate of the G5 Sahel Joint Force, which will expire on 12 April.
Although the date of the meeting is not specified, this meeting is expected to be conducted through email communication ahead of the expiry of the current timeline for the mandate of G5 Sahel Joint Force. The last agenda item of the month is taking place on 30 April, which is the PSC briefing to the PRC. For this purpose, summary of the compilation of activities of the PSC for April 2020 will be sent to all AU member states. With the introduction of the new working arrangement, the PSC has ensured the continuity of its work. This could be important during this period not only for the PSC to deal with key existing peace and security issues but also to address emerging peace and security issues including those arising from COVID19 and elections.
Briefing by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)
Amani Africa
Date | 5 March, 2020
Tomorrow (5 March) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is expected to receive a briefing from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the reports of peer reviewed member states. The Chairperson of the African Peer Review Panel of Eminent Persons Ibrahim Gambari is expected to make a presentation.
The APRM has briefed the PSC for the first time on 19 December 2018 at the 819th PSC session. The PSC recognized ‘the importance of the APRM as one of the most effective mechanisms for promoting conflict prevention, as it contributes in addressing some of the structural root causes of conflicts’. Hence tomorrow’s briefing is expected to look into the role of APRM in early warning and on how in partnership with other African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) components it may contribute to conflict prevention efforts.
The Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) and the Panel of the Wise (PoW) are the two key components in the APSA that have the central mandate to avert conflicts and crises, escalation of tensions and relapses to conflict. Both CEWS and PoW report to the PSC and particularly CEWS has the responsibility of providing regular horizon scanning briefings on peace and security trends and imminent threats across the continent. Moreover, Peace and Security Department (Conflict Early Warning and Prevention Division) has developed Continental Structural Conflict Prevention Framework (CSCPF).
Towards operationalizing this framework, the Department has also developed the country structural vulnerability assessment (CSVA) and structural vulnerability mitigation strategy (SVMS). These existing instruments are also expected to serve as complementary mechanisms to APRM’s work in ensuring that the PSC adopts a more preemptive approach than a reactive conflict response.
In addition to the APSA elements, the PSC briefings by the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) on election form another layer of conflict prevention mechanism particularly in relation to mitigating contested electoral processes and post-electoral violence. Hence, in the briefing the APRM may also highlight the extent to which harmonization can be created among the relevant actors both within the AUC and policy organs to provide regular briefing and reporting to the PSC.
Gambari’s presentation may also cover the outcome of the recently concluded workshop on ‘Positioning the APRM as an early Warning Tool For Conflict Prevention’. The meeting was held within the context of the AU 2020 theme, Silencing the Guns and anchored in the Assembly decision Assembly/AU/Dec.686(XXX) which welcomed the harmony and synergy between the APRM, the APSA, and the African Governance Architecture (AGA). One of the key outputs of the workshop, which will be presented by the APRM representative, is the APRM Framework on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention.
In addition to the coordination with APSA and AGA, the presentation may also cover the ways in which the APRM coordinates with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs). Given the increasing centrality of RECs/RMs in the AU policy space and more particularly with the PSC, there is a need to also include RECs engagement in the wider conflict prevention roadmap. The PSC may recall its previous session with RECs, which has agreed to develop ‘modalities for undertaking early responses to looming crisis and expediting action to resolve/mitigate blown out crises/conflicts’. In this respect the coordination both at the PSC level but also at the decision making organ at the RECs level may provide a comprehensive and multi-layered approach.
The APRM Framework on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention is expected to serve as an overarching instrument to map the relevant actors that will work closely with the APRM and to solidify harmonization among them.
The second issue that may be considered tomorrow is around seeking clarity on the notion of popular uprising and on modalities of responses. In 2019 the PSC at its 871st held a brainstorming session on the concept of popular uprising. The PSC indicated the lack of an agreed upon definition of ‘popular uprising’ as well as the absence of an AU normative framework that articulates the concept. Nonetheless, popular uprising has increasingly shaped political transition and democratization in many African countries. Hence, recognizing the importance of the phenomenon and in order to address the conceptual and normative gap the Council has tasked the Commission in collaboration with the APRM to prepare and submit a draft AU framework on popular uprising.
When developing a conceptual framework it is important to also address issues related to legitimacy. Previous initiatives such as the AU High-level Panel on Egypt in June 2014 has made recommendations on what kind of conditions make popular uprisings compatible with existing AU norms. Building on such recommendations and through the technical expertise of DPA and the legal counsel the framework can be formulated and presented to the PSC. The APRM on its part may present key elements that need to be included in the draft AU framework. It may identify a number of measures to address structural causes leading to popular uprising as well as actions for effective response when such developments take place.
The presentation is also expected to highlight the various activities undertaken by the mechanism including the reviews of member states. In this regard it may stress the importance of not only increasing number of participating member states in the APRM but also expanding reviews of members and increasing the regularity of reviews.
The outcome of the recently concluded 29th Summit of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government, which was held at the margins of the AU Summit, may also feature.
The expected outcome is a communiqué. The PSC may decide to institutionalize its engagement with the APRM through regular briefings. It may welcome the efforts towards strengthening APRM’s role as a conflict prevention tool and it may stress the need for harmonization with the relevant APSA and AGA components to ensure a more effective and coordinated conflict prevention approach. It may welcome the presentation on popular uprising and may call for the finalization of the draft framework to be considered and adopted. It may call for member states that have not acceded to the APRM to do so and complete their regular reviews.
Provisional Program of Work for the Month of March 2020
Amani Africa
Date | March 2020
Equatorial Guinea assumes the role of the monthly chairpersonship of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) for the month of March. The provisional program of work, involves some six substantive sessions. These include an open session and a ministerial level meeting.
The first meeting of the month scheduled for 3 March is a briefing on the situation in Darfur and the UNAMID transition. It is to be recalled that the PSC, at its 856th session, has renewed the mandate of the mission until June 2020, which is also the planned exit period of UNAMID from Darfur.
On 5 March the PSC will receive a briefing by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the report of peer reviewed member states. This is the second time that the APRM addresses the PSC. It is a session that could serve as avenue for following up some of the early warning issues identified in the report of peer reviewed member states. On the same day, the Council will also have a preparatory session on the ministerial meeting planned at the end of the month in Malabo.
The schedule on the program of work for 10 March the PSC provides for two items. The first is consideration and adoption the provisional program of work for the month of April. The Council with continue its preparatory session for the ministerial meeting.
On 12 March, the PSC is expected to hold the only open session of the month. The session is expected to focus on the implementation of the Safe School Declaration in the promotion of education for children affected by armed conflicts in Africa, within the AU theme of the year silencing the guns.
On 17 March the PSC will receive a briefing on elections in Africa. The PSC may receive updates on upcoming and recently conducted elections. In 2020 close to 20 countries are preparing to hold elections including Somalia, Ethiopia, Cote D’Ivoire, Burundi and Guinea. On the same day the PSC will also undertake preparation for the PSC induction program of its new members.
The induction of the new members is scheduled to take place on 20 and 21 March. The program will include sessions on working methods and on activities of the PSC in implementing the AU theme of the year “ Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”. The newly elected members will start participating as observers in the various sessions of the PSC starting from the third week of March. They take up their seat as full members of the PSC on 1 April.
On 24 March the Council will consider three agenda items. The first is the situation in Guinea Bissau. The PSC may be briefed on the developments following the recently concluded presidential election and its outcome. The second agenda item is the preparation for the ministerial meeting. And lastly, the PSC will prepare for its activities with the EU Political and Security Committee (EUPSC) including the AUPSC/EUPSC joint field mission (whose dates and location are yet to be confirmed), the 12th annual joint meeting and the 5th joint retreat.
The PSC will conclude the month with the ministerial meeting on “The role of Youth and Women in Silencing the Guns in Africa” in Malabo on 31 March. A technical level meeting will precede the ministerial meeting on 30 March. The meeting is also in line with the standing annual PSC thematic on women, peace and security which usually takes place in March.
In addition to these agenda items, the provisional program of work indicates in footnotes possible meetings of the Military Staff Committee and Committee of Experts for which the dates are yet to be set.