The Unified Role of the African Members of the UN Security Council (A3) in the United Nations Security Council
Amani Africa
Date | 04 March, 2021
Tomorrow (04 March) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is expected to convene its 983rd session on the unified role of the African three elected members (A3) of the United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC). The timing of this session is not accidental considering that Kenya, which serves in both the PSC and the UNSC, has just joined the UNSC as the newest member of the A3.
The Permanent Representative of Kenya to AU, Jean Kamau is expected to make an opening remark. The PSC is expected to receive update from the AU Commission, including through the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN. Apart from the inputs from the representatives of members of A3, namely Kenya, Niger and Tunisia, representatives of Amani Africa and the Institute for Security Studies are scheduled to present briefings to the PSC. Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office to the AU, H.E. Madam Hanna Tetteh may also make statement.
The last time the PSC convened a dedicated session on the issue was at its 595th meeting held in April 2016. However, the Council also convened its 937th session held on 24 July 2020 to discuss with the A3 members as part of the coordinating efforts between the two. At that session, the A3 coordinator briefed the Council on the initiatives taken to promote and champion African common positions in the UNSC.
As highlighted in the concept note for the session, tomorrow’s session serves to take stoke of the progresses made and the challenges over the years in respect of the A3 channeling African common positions in the decision making process of the UNSC on matters that are of concern to the continent and explore ways and means of strengthening the coordination and cooperation among the A3 and between them and the PSC with the view to enable them discharge their ‘special responsibility’ of reflecting African common positions in the UNSC.
The statements from the A3 and the briefings are expected to highlight not only recent experiences of the A3 in representing the position of the AU and in facilitating coordination between the PSC and the UNSC but also emerging good practices in the coordination within the A3 and between the A3 and other role players including the PSC. Some of the practices that will receive mention for further consolidation include organization of joint meetings including Arria Formula meetings, making joint statements, joint press statements and stakeouts and presenting/initiating joint draft resolutions, and, to a limited extent, assuming the role of pen-holding or co-pen holding.
Another issue that is expected to receive attention is how to deal with the dynamics in the UNSC. Though African matters used to be less contentious in the UNSC, both deepening divisions among the P5 and Africa’s changing geopolitics affecting how the UNSC deals with African files and importantly the cohesion of the A3. As highlighted in Amani Africa special report on the relationships between the UNSC and the PSC, the ‘deepening polarization of members of the P5’ and the enormous pressure coming from them African matters is increasingly testing the unity of the A3 and at times, causing split. This is more so in a context where there is discord between sub-regional arrangements (RECs) and the AU (PSC). A good example in this respect is the diverging position taken by AU and SADC in response to the announcement of the provisional results of the Presidential election in DRC in January 2019, also causing a split between members of the A3 on how the UNSC should respond to the disputed result.
Of a particular interest to the PSC at its tomorrow session is means of strengthening coordination and cooperation between the PSC and the A3. One of the positive steps which needs to be further capitalized is the annual high-level seminar on peace and security in Africa. Convened on annual basis since its inaugural in 2013 at Algiers, the seminar is serving as an important platform for the A3 and PSC members to share experiences and institutional memories, understand and exchange views on peace and security issues in the continent and foster common position. As captured in Amani Africa’s fifth special report, it is high time to revamp the ‘high-level interest’ in the seminar as well as explore ways of follow up to the implementations of the conclusions of the high-level seminars regarding coordination between the A3 and the PSC.
The briefing from the AU Commission is also expected to highlight about the role of the AU Permanent Observation Mission to the UN, in New York and the progresses achieved in terms of discharging its central role in facilitating communication between the A3 and the PSC. The capacity of the office, which is serving as the Secretariat of the A3 and its institutional memory, needs to be strengthened. In this regard, PSC decision during its 478th session to adequately staff the mission with experienced and high-ranking officers and mobilize more funding is long overdue for full implementation.
The PSC is also expected to explore means of enhancing its direct engagement with the A3 through increased regular consultations and the latter’s more involvement in its sessions as the Council is expected to provide sufficient support and timely guidance to the A3 in discharging their responsibilities. The participation of A3 in the PSC sessions would improve A3’s capacity in shaping the discussions and decisions of both the PSC and UNSC, which eventually bridges the gap between the two counterparts in Addis Ababa and New York in the maintenance of international peace and security. With the A3 taking part in its meetings, the PSC can scan the dynamics in the UNSC on agenda items under its consideration, at the same time would inform the A3 about its views and positions which they need to reflect in the UNSC.
Two issues are likely to feature in tomorrow’s session within the context of increasing the capacity and leverage of A3 in the UNSC: the pen holder system and mobilizing support from other members of the UNSC.
Taking shape around 2010, the P3 have established the ‘pen holder system’ where they divide the role of drafting UNSC outcome documents among themselves including on African matters. France serves as pen holder for most of the Francophone African issues while US and UK leads on Sudan and Somalia, respectively. The implication of this practice is that the A3 members are marginalized from taking the lead and shape outcome documents meaningfully on matters of concern to the continent.
Despite PSC’s call in its 478th session for the A3 members to be given the status of pen holder and co-pen holders, progress remains limited. The PSC is expected to explore further options to enhance the role of the A3 in pen holding or co-pen holding.
Representatives of the A3 are likely to discuss efforts made in mobilizing support from other members of the UNSC. An interesting development in this regard is the alliance created with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since it took its two-year seat in January 2020, forming the A3+1. The A3 and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were able to deliver joint statements on several occasions. Building on this experience, the A3 are expected to broaden the scope of alliance in the future, particularly with the Caribbean group in the UNSC with the aim to amplify African voices in the Council.
The expected outcome is a communique. The PSC is expected to congratulate Kenya for its election as non-permanent member of the UNSC and commend Republic of South Africa as an outgoing member as well as Niger and Tunisia as sitting members of the Council for the role played in articulating, coordinating, promoting and defending African perspectives and common positions in the UNSC. In light of emerging challenges that the division in the UNSC is posing to the role of the A3, the PSC may reiterate its call for the A3 to stick to the decisions and positions of the AU in all circumstances and further strengthen cohesion and coordination among themselves and with the PSC. In this respect, the Council is likely to make reference to the Decision of the Assembly adopted by the 26th Ordinary session held in January 2016 which states the ‘special responsibility’ of the A3 in reflecting the PSC decisions in the decision making process of the UNSC. In terms of enhancing its coordination and cooperation with the A3, it may urge the AU Commission to take all steps to ensure that the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN is fully capacitated and resourced. With regards to boosting the capacity of the A3 in shaping the dynamics in the UNSC, the PSC may commend the efforts of the A3 in reaching out to other members of the Council with the aim to foster a unified position with the A3 and may further encourage them to broaden alliance with other members, notably from the Caribbean group. The Council may also reiterate its call for members of A3 to be given the status of pen holder or co-pen holder on peace and security issues in Africa. The Council may finally look forward to the convening of the upcoming high-level seminar on the peace and security in Africa, which is slated for November according to the indicative annual program of the Council, and encourage A3 and PSC members as well as the AU Permanent Observer Mission to regularize consultations and exchange of information.
Monthly Digest on the AUPSC - March 2021
Amani Africa
Date | March 2021
In March, Kenya was the chair of the PSC. A total of five substantive sessions were convened via video teleconferencing (VTC) during the month and one of the sessions had two separate agenda items. Although the month’s programme of work envisaged a session on the situation in South Sudan, the session was not convened during the month.
Provisional Programme of Work of the PSC for the Month of March 2021
Amani Africa
Date | March 2021
Kenya will be chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) during the month of March. PSC’s Provisional Programme of Work (PoW) for the month, considered via email exchange, shows that Council is scheduled to consider one country specific situation and four thematic agenda items. All sessions will be conducted virtually. Two sessions will be held at a ministerial level and one at the level of Heads of State and Government. The PoW also envisages that the PSC will conduct a filed visit to South Sudan, from 28 to 30 March and another field visit to Sudan from 30 March to 1 April.
The first session of the month is scheduled to take place on 4 March. This session will be addressing the role of the African three elected members (A3) of in the UN Security Council (UNSC). The last PSC session dedicated to this theme was its 595th meeting which took place in 2016. At that session, Council mainly focused on emphasising the responsibility of A3 States to ensure that PSC’s positions are well reflected in the decision making of UNSC regarding all peace and security concerns related to Africa. To that end, the PSC made a call for African States who assume A3 position to regularly brief the AU Commission on their efforts to promote PSC articulated African common positions at the UNSC. It is worth noting that the PSC holds its high-level seminars focusing on the A3 on an annual basis and the last one took place in Libreville, Gabon in January 2020.
The second session of the month is scheduled to take place on 9 March. This session will be held at the level of Heads of State and Government and will be committed to a discussion on sustainable peace in Africa. The session agenda has two segments. The first focuses on climate change and its impact on peace and security in the continent. The second segment is to follow up on paragraph 15 of the decision on Silencing the Guns of 14th Extraordinary summit held at the level of Heads of State and Government (Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.1(XIV)), which calls on the PSC to engage the Kingdom of Morocco and Sahrawi Republic to address the escalating military tension.
On 12 March, the PSC will consider and adopt its programme of work for the month of April, which will be circulated via email to all members of Council for comments and feedback.
On 16 March, PSC will convene its country specific session of the month which will be addressing the situation in Sudan. It is to be recalled that at its 952nd meeting, PSC highlighted, among others, the expected establishment of the Transitional Legislative Assembly on 3 December 2020. Its upcoming session presents Council the opportunity to follow up on this and other developments. In addition, Council may also welcome and reflect on the recent cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, adhering to the terms of the 3 October 2020 Peace Agreement signed between the transitional government and some rebel groups. In addition to considering updates on the situation in Sudan, it is envisaged that the session will also serve as a preparation for Council’s upcoming field visit.
The next session scheduled to take place on 18 March aims to address the “emerging challenges and critical lessons for sustainable peacekeeping operations”. This session is envisaged to take place at the level of ministers. Major concerns such as the lack of sustainable and predictable financing of peace and security initiatives in the continent, and recent developments in peace support operations in Africa including the end of UNAMID and the developments relating to AMISOM and MNJTF could be addressed at the meeting.
On 22 March, the PSC is scheduled to convene its second ministerial level meeting on the theme “women, peace and sustainable development in Africa”. While the theme ‘women, peace and security’ (WPS) is a standing agenda item of the PSC, the focus on sustainable development will be a new addition. The session is expected to receive report from the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. As can be recalled, WPS was first introduced as a standing agenda item of the PSC in March of 2010, making the upcoming session coincide with the 11th year of Council’s deliberation on the topic.
As mentioned above, Council’s last activity of the month will be its field visit to South Sudan, planned to take place 28 to 30 March and another filed visit to Sudan, scheduled for 30 March to 1 April.
Monthly Digest on the AUPSC - March 2021
Amani Africa
Date | March 2021
In March, Kenya was the chair of the PSC. A total of five substantive sessions were convened via video teleconferencing (VTC) during the month and one of the sessions had two separate agenda items. Although the month’s programme of work envisaged a session on the situation in South Sudan, the session was not convened during the month.
Monthly Digest on the AUPSC - March 2021
Amani Africa
Date | March 2021
In March, Kenya was the chair of the PSC. A total of five substantive sessions were convened via video teleconferencing (VTC) during the month and one of the sessions had two separate agenda items. Although the month’s programme of work envisaged a session on the situation in South Sudan, the session was not convened during the month.
PSC Session on the Central African Republic
Amani Africa
Date | 16 February, 2021
Tomorrow (16 February) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 980th session on the situation in Central African Republic (CAR).
The Permanent Representative of Ghana is expected to make an opening remark in her capacity as chair of the month. The Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, and representative of the Economic Community of the Central African States (ECCAS) are expected to provide a briefing on the situation in CAR. The representative of CAR, the A3 and the UN are also likely to deliver a statement as per the usual practice.
The last PSC session on CAR was convened during its 972nd meeting held on 24 December 2020, few days before the election day. The presidential and parliamentary elections were held on 27 December in a context of rising tension as the opposition intensifies pressure on the government despite the call of the PSC on ‘all the parties to uphold the electoral calendar defined by the National Electoral Authority (ANE) and the Constitutional Court’. According to the information note submitted to the PSC ahead of tomorrow’s session, ‘out of a set of 5,408 polling stations, around 800 were unable to open due to threats made by armed groups’. In the 4 January, preliminary results the ANE announced incumbent president Faustin-Archange Touadéra was declared winner with 53.92 % of vote, which was later certified by the Constitutional Court.
Disagreement over the electoral process between the government and opposition political and armed forces in the country demanding postponement of the elections precipitated the most serious deterioration in the political and security situation of the CAR since the 2019 AU facilitated Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (APPR- RCA). The turning point was the establishment on 15 December 2020 of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), an umbrella body of six armed groups,1 with strong backing from former President François Bozizé, who, after being ousted by the Séléka armed groups in 2013 and returned to CAR after six years of exile, has been under the UN sanctions list for ‘engaging in or providing support for acts that undermine the peace, stability or security of CAR’ in the 2013 crisis.
Coming into existence not long after the rejection by the Constitutional Court of the candidacy of Bozizé for failing to meet the ‘good morals’ and ‘clean criminal record’ requirements for candidacy, CPC sought to implement the armed removal of the government. This has plunged the country once again into violent conflicts, as the CPS launched attacks capturing territories in parts of the country.
Despite PSC rejection during its 972nd session of ‘any idea or strategies aiming at unconstitutional political transition in the country,’ the members of the CPC launched attacks in various parts of the country including Bossangoa (25 December 2020) Bangassou (3 January), Damara (3 January), and Bouar and Grimari (7-9 January). The attempt of the CPC to violently capture the capital city Bangui on 13 January, which claimed the lives of many people including seven UN peacekeepers, was averted by the intervention of UN troops and the CAR military with backing from Rwandan and Russian troops. The CAR forces and MINUSCA also (reportedly backed by Rwandan and Russian troops) managed to repulse several attacks and recaptured key towns from the armed groups, notably Bangassou (some 450 miles from Bangui bordering DRC).
Despite their unsuccessful attempt to capture Bangui, the armed groups have besieged the capital city by blocking strategic roads. Of particular interest to the Council would be the blockage of Bangui-Garoua Boulaï corridor, the main supply route for the capital Bangui and the entire country. According to media reports, thousands of trucks have been stranded on the border with Cameroon carrying food, medicine and humanitarian aid, causing spike in food price (more than 50% rise in some places) and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation. The severe shortage of supplies including food items that this has resulted in raises the issue of the use by armed groups of starvation as a method of war, which constitutes violation of international humanitarian law.
The security deterioration ultimately forced the government to declare a 15-days state of emergency across the country on 21 January, which was extended for six months before its expiry on 4 February.
The eruption of the armed rebellion, which disrupted the conduct of the election in some parts of the country, represents a major blow to the 2019 APPR-RCA, particularly the pledge of the signatory armed groups in Article 5 ‘to renounce the recourse to weapons and violence’. Without urgent and firm collective action to arrest this situation, the peace agreement faces a major risk of collapse, reversing the security gains achieved.
Given the role of the AU and ECCAS as guarantors of the political agreement, tomorrow’s session offers the PSC with the opportunity to explore ways and means of salvaging the peace process. A welcome development that would interest the PSC in this respect is ECCAS decision to establish a ‘permanent mediation framework for a lasting peace in CAR’ and appoint a ‘Permanent Mediator of the Central Africa Crisis’ at the extraordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECCAS on the situation in CAR held on 26 December 2020. Also of interest for the PSC is the 8 January press release by armed groups not affiliated to the rebel CPC, which after consultation with the guarantors and facilitators of the political agreement, reassured their commitment to respect the APPR-RCA and called for the latter to invoke article 35 of the agreement relating to sanctions.
In the briefing from ECCAS representative, PSC members may be interested to know the progress towards the establishment and operationalization of the mediation framework as well as the appointment of a mediator.
Yet, confounding an already dire situation, a union of several political parties, Democratic Opposition Coalition (COD-2020), rejected the result and called for its annulment claiming widespread irregularity and low voter turnout because of insecurity. In a joint statement made on 5 January, Jean-Pierre Lacroix (UN Under-Secretary- General for Peace Operations), Smaїl Chergui (AU Commissioner for Peace and Security), Gilberto Da Piedade Veríssimo (President of the Commission of ECCAS), and Josep Borrell (High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs) called for political actors to respect the final results of the presidential election, and engage in political dialogue. Similarly, the mini-summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), held on 29 January in Luanda, called on all parties to resolve differences through dialogue.
The worsening humanitarian situation is also likely to feature in the PSC discussion. According to the latest report by OCHA (United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), the violence internally displaced north of 240,000 while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)) reported some 105,000 individuals fleeing to the neighboring countries, mainly to DRC, as of late January. OCHA’s report further highlights that in 2021, 2.8 million out of the total population 4.9 million (more than half of the population) require humanitarian assistance and protection.
Following the loss of lives of civilians, CAR partner forces and MINUSCA peacekeepers, the UN Security Council (UNSC), in a statement issued following the 18 January attacks, not only condemned the act but also warned parties that ‘attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.’ It is to be recalled that the PSC during its 936th meeting convened on 10 July 2020, requested CAR’s government, together with MINUSCA and the two guarantors of the APPR-RCA to conduct an investigation of the attacks against government forces, MINUSCA, humanitarian agencies and civilians.
The expected outcome is a communique. The PSC is likely to take note of the final results of the December presidential election as proclaimed by the Constitutional Court on 18 January, and congratulate President Touadéra on his re-election. The PSC may reaffirm the APPR-CAR as the only peace framework within which the crisis in the CAR has to be resolved comprehensively. The PSC is expected to reiterate from its 972nd session its strong condemnation of the collusion of Bozizé ‘with some armed groups (in launching) a rebellion warfare against the government and UN peacekeepers (MINUSCA) which resulted in blatant human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity for which he will be held personally accountable.’ Also of significance for the PSC to follow is the recommendation in the information note for tomorrow’s session for the PSC to request the AU Commission, having regard to Article 35 of the APPR-RCA, ‘to set up its own sanction regime and implement it effectively, in collaboration with Regional Economic Communities, targeting all those, including former President Bozize, who are violating the peace agreement and International Humanitarian Law, those providing them with materiel aid, as well as those individuals, groups or entities involved in the trafficking of CAR’s mineral and other natural resources.’ The PSC may urge the armed groups for the immediate halt to the blockage of the Cameroon-Bangui corridor and welcome the efforts of MINUSCA, CAR and partner forces to restore this key road connection.
The Council may welcome the announcement of the newly re-elected president for an inclusive dialogue and may in this context call on all political actors in CAR to respond positively and engage in a constructive political dialogue to resolve their grievances. The PSC may call on ECCAS to work with the AU and others on its proposed establishment of a permanent mediation framework for supporting CAR political forces, with all regional and international coordinating their engagement, within the framework of the APPR-RCA. Paying tribute to MINUSCA peacekeepers, the PSC is expected to condemn the attacks against civilians and MINUSCA forces and reiterate the call it has made during its 936th session for investigation of the attacks to adopt appropriate sanctions against perpetrators. The Council may also express its grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation and call international community to step-up the effort in providing humanitarian assistance, including by filling in the huge humanitarian financial gap due to the meager receipt of 8 percent of the requested US$ 444.7 million.
1(Unity for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) of Ali Darassa, Patriotic Movement for the Central African Republic (MPC) of Al Khatim, the Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation Movement (3R) of Abas Sidiki, part of the Popular Front for the rebirth of the Central African Republic (FPRC) led by Nourredine Adam, the anti balakas (Ailes Maxime Mokom and N’Gaissona) and the RJ Sayo Movement).
