Amani Africa’s prominent role in the global policy thinking on the future of peace operations
Amani Africa’s prominent role in the global policy thinking on the future of peace operations
Date | 19 May 2025
At a time when multilateral peace operations are at a crossroads, Amani Africa’s role has become prominent in shaping the global policy thinking on the future of peace operations, when, along with the Global Governance Institute (GGI) and the Berlin Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF), it fostered the establishment of the Global Alliance for Peace Operations (GAPO). The GAPO is made up of more than 60 global think tanks, research institutes and civil society organizations and more than 100 experts, who play leading role in the policy thinking and action for adapting peace operations for making them fit for the changing realities of the world. The website of GAPO is now also featured on Amani Africa’s website.
To avail rich and fresh perspectives to the intergovernmental deliberations during the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, Germany, together with GGI and ZIF, Amani Africa contributed to the coordination of the writing by members of GAPO of a compendium of eight policy papers (see here) and nearly 20 issue briefs (see here). These contributions reflect the diversity and richness of the membership of GAPO and its immense potential for shaping multilateral policy processes on international peace and security.
Along with ZIF and GGI, Amani Africa coordinated the convening on 12 May 2025 of the GAPO Symposium on Peace Operations, hosted at Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, Germany just ahead of the Berlin Peacekeeping Ministerial. Solomon Dersso, Founding Director of Amani Africa, led the first session titled ‘The State of the World’ which, through the insightful interventions of Jenna Russo of International Peace Institute, Daniel Forti of International Crisis Group and Alexander Marschik, Ambassador of Austria to Germany and former Co-Chairperson of the IGN on UNSC Reform, depicted a clear picture of the fundamental changes and challenges affecting multilateralism and peace operations. The symposium highlighted the need for reforming peace operations as important part of the toolbox for international peace and security and explored diverse and rich ideas on how UN peacekeeping can be adapted and strengthened for it to continue to play critical role in advancing international peace and security.
Amani Africa also played various roles in the 2025 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial held on 13-14 May in Berlin, Germany at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany. Apart from attending the deliberations of the ministerial session that brought together more than 130 state delegates, Amani Africa was involved in various conversations during and on the side of the ministerial session. We also had the unique honor of being featured along co-coordinators of GAPO in hosting the sole exhibition stand at the Berlin Ministerial, showcasing our contributions to global policy discussion and action on peace operations.
As part of the Berlin Ministerial, Amani Africa’s Founding Director made a contribution as a speaker during the High-Level Panel on Partnerships, that featured senior representatives from the UN, AU, EU, and OSCE as well as Founder and Director of Confluence Advisory. The panel explored how to deepen and adapt the relationship of the UN with regional organisations with respect to peace operations, whether and how the role of regional organisations is changing vis-à-vis peace operations, the role of the UN in situations where regional or sub-regional organisaitons or coalitions of the willing lead peace operations, and how and when to operationalize Resolution 2719 on UN financing of AU-led peace operations.
Amani Africa acknowledges with appreciation the support and collaboration of the German Foreign Ministry, Embassy of Germany in Addis Ababa and the co-conspirators of GAPO, ZIF and GGI as well as all the institutions and experts who contributed to and form part of GAPO.
Second Annual Joint Consultative Meeting between the AUPSC and ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council
Second Annual Joint Consultative Meeting between the AUPSC and ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council
Date | 15 May 2025
Tomorrow (16 May), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is expected to convene its Second Annual Joint Consultative Meeting with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mediation and Security Council (MSC), at the AU Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Following opening remarks by Harold Bundu Saffa, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the AU and PSC Chairperson for May, the Chair of ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council is expected to make a statement. Mahmoud Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, may also address the session.
The PSC held its inaugural meeting with Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) policy organs on the promotion of peace and security, focusing on harmonisation and coordination of decision-making processes and division of labour in May 2019. The joint communiqué of that meeting agreed to hold ‘annual joint consultative meetings, between the PSC and the RECs/RMs policy organs on peace and security issues, alternately in Addis Ababa and in the headquarters of the RECs/RMs, in rotation’ and to be ‘convened ahead of the mid-year coordination summit between the AU and RECs/RMs’. It took some years before the PSC acted on the convening of a consultative meeting with individual REC/RM policy-making organs similar to the consultative meeting it holds annually with the United Nations (UN) Security Council and the European Union (EU) Peace and Security Committee. The first such consultative meeting was held with the ECOWAS MSC on 24 April 202, when, as part of its April 2024 Programme of Work, the PSC undertook a field mission to Abuja, Nigeria, for the High-level African Counter Terrorism Meeting.
The Inaugural Joint Consultative Meeting with ECOWAS MSC zeroed in on the dire situation in West Africa, the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, where terrorist activities have wreaked havoc on communities and derailed development. The Joint Communiqué voiced deep alarm over the surging insecurity fueled by terrorism and extremism. The two Councils called for robust counter-terrorism strategies, backed by substantial funding and resource mobilisation to bolster regional and continental peace operations. They emphasised the need for revitalisation of existing security frameworks, such as the Nouakchott and Djibouti Processes, the ECOWAS Plans of Action Against Terrorism, the Accra Initiative, and the Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin. Beyond military measures, the meeting highlighted the necessity of tackling the root causes of terrorism – poverty, unemployment, political instability and social inequality.
Since then, a meeting of the Nouakchott process was held in November 2024 in Dakar, Senegal. Convened with the support of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) and the Government of the Republic of Senegal, the meeting sought to ‘enhance coordination, information and intelligence sharing, and joint operations in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel-Sahara region.’ The meeting (which saw the participation of ECOWAS, MNJTF, Executive Secretariat of the Accra Initiative and the Fusion and Liaison Unit (UFL) of the Sahel countries) brought together the heads of intelligence services of the Sahel-Sahara countries, particularly member states of the Nouakchott Process and the Accra Initiative, namely Algeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Libya, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. It is of interest to both the PSC and the ECOWAS MSC to receive an update on the outcome of this meeting and how to build on the outcome for developing and implementing concrete policy action to stem the tide of conflicts involving terrorist groups in the Sahel and West Africa.
The other issue that the inaugural meeting focused on was the instability military coups induce and the governance deficits fueling unconstitutional changes of government (UCG), which has affected most prominently the ECOWAS region. They welcomed the creation of the PSC Sub-Committee on Sanctions to oversee UCG-related decisions. Against the background of the growing pressure for speeding up the process towards lifting suspension of countries in transition including the recent return of Gabon to the AU fold in full, tomorrow’s consultative meeting is also expected to discuss how the AU and ECOWAS develop a joint strategy and engage more actively to negotiate and agree on the parameters of the process for the restoration of constitutional order in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger while having regard to the specificities of each situation.
While they stressed the importance of joint mediation without clarifying the modalities for translating that into action, this requires that they change their institutional culture and the conceptual parameters governing their role in peace and security. First, they need to recognise that many of the challenges facing the region cannot be addressed by any one institution and need the role of both the AU and ECOWAS, having regard to the terms of Article 16 of the PSC Protocol. Second, conceptually, instead of subsidiarity and the competition it induces, they should embrace complementarity. Instead of comparative advantage, they should work on the basis of cumulative advantage.
In terms of modalities, the meeting agreed on mechanisms to ensure coherence and complementarity, including annual joint consultative meetings, frequent interactions between chairpersons and swift communication of decisions. They also proposed joint field missions, retreats, staff exchanges and the establishment of focal point teams. There is no indication that they have started to operationalise these proposed areas of action for deepening their close working relationship.
Given that this second consultative meeting coincides with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, it is expected that the 50-year journey of ECOWAS, particularly in the realm of peace and security, democratic governance and constitutional rule, as well as regional integration and the challenges facing them, are expected to feature during the session. Of immediate concern will be the withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) from ECOWAS. Indeed, during the inaugural session, a particularly pressing issue was the announcement of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger for withdrawal from ECOWAS. The two Councils urged continued engagement with these states to preserve regional stability, referencing the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit communiqué of 24 February 2024, and Article 91 of the 1993 ECOWAS Revised Treaty, which outlines withdrawal procedures. On 29 January 2025, the withdrawal of these countries from ECOWAS took effect. This notwithstanding and in a commendable step, ECOWAS expressed commitment to preserving crucial privileges for citizens of these countries, including recognition of ECOWAS-branded documents, trade benefits under ETLS, visa-free movement rights, and support for ECOWAS officials from these nations.
Building on the maintenance of the relations, apart from commending ECOWAS on avoiding complete severance of the relationship, the consultative meeting may consider how best to support AES states in their quest for containing terrorism and restoring stability. Relatedly, of interest for both the AU and ECOWAS is also how to reverse the instrumentalisation of tensions and instability for settling geopolitical scores by external powers attempting to reduce the region into a theatre of geopolitical rivalry.
As with the first consultative meeting, the expected outcome is a Joint Communiqué. The meeting is expected to welcome the institutionalisation of the consultative meeting by implementing the joint communique of the inaugural meeting that decided the convening of the meeting on an annual basis. The PSC and the MSC are also expected to reiterate their commitment to deepen closer working relationship by implementing the conclusions of the inaugural consultative meeting. They may also welcome the steps taken in implementing the joint communique, particularly the convening of the Nouakchott process with the participation of ECOWAS and its member states. They may ask AU and ECOWAS Commissions to develop workstreams and focal points for operationalising the parts of the joint communique that are yet to be implemented. The PSC and the MSC may also underscore that most of the challenges in the region demand joint action and the collective weight of the AU and ECOWAS. The two sides may underscore the importance of ECOWAS as a key pillar of regional integration in the ECOWAS region and the need for revitalising ECOWAS and safeguarding the progress it registered during its 50-year journey. PSC and the MSC may also commend the measures ECOWAS adopted for keeping its door open for Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, including by sustaining the benefits of ECOWAS membership to the citizens of the three countries.
Open Session on Organised Transnational Crime, Peace and Security in the Sahel Region
Open Session on Organised Transnational Crime, Peace and Security in the Sahel Region
Date | 13 May 2025
Tomorrow (14 May) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is scheduled to convene its 1279th session as an open session on Organised Transnational Crime, Peace and Security in the Sahel Region.
Following opening remarks by Ambassador Harold Saffa, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for May, Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), is expected to deliver a statement. Briefings are also expected from representatives of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) and the AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL).
Despite the Council’s decision in 2019, during its 845th session, to institutionalise an annual session on Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) as a standing agenda item, the last time the Council convened a session dedicated to the theme was in May 2022 during its 1082nd session. However, the Council had consistently shown concern over the rise of transnational organised crime in Africa in several sessions on conflict-specific situations and on thematic sessions, particularly those on terrorism, illicit economy and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The Council has also acknowledged the convergence between TOC and terrorism. During its 1237th session, convened to consider the report of the AU Commission on combating terrorism in October 2024, the Council noted with deep concern the growing linkages between TOC and terrorism and called for the strengthening of international cooperation.
Tomorrow’s session is of particular importance given the accelerating pace at which organised criminal networks are expanding their operations across Africa and some countries and regions have become major sites of TOC. These include notably the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin. According to data from the Africa Organised Crime 2023 Index, countries in these regions exhibit some of the highest levels of organised criminality on the continent above the continental average of 5.25. Such is the case in Nigeria (7.28), Sudan (6.37), Cameroon (6.27), Mali (5.93), Burkina Faso (5.92), Niger (5.70) and Chad (5.50). Beyond trafficking in arms, TOC in these regions and beyond manifests in multiple forms: trafficking in narcotics, people, and fuel; cybercrime; and the illicit exploitation of natural resources, such as gold.
Another dimension of TOC is its deepening entanglements with terrorism, insurgency and broader instability. And the growing convergence between TOC and terrorism is increasingly evident in various parts of Africa, but more so in the Sahel and Lake Chad basin, which are most affected by terrorism. While it does not account for it, TOC contributes to and is aggravated by the standing of the Sahel as the region that has become the epicentre of global terrorism. Illicit arms and weapons proliferation and trade is one example of TOC affecting the Sahel. In this context, the TOC and conflicts involving terrorist groups feed into each other, as criminal economies provide financial lifelines to extremist groups, while terrorist actors offer protection and enforcement mechanisms to illicit traders. These mutually reinforcing relationships allow both sets of actors to thrive in environments of weak state control, porous borders, and pervasive governance deficits.
The political economy of TOC goes beyond simply criminal economies in regions like the Sahel. It also creates an environment in which it is used as an informal survival strategy for marginalised communities, where state presence is weak and employment and livelihood opportunities are scarce. A 2024 UNODC report underscores this feature of TOC in the Sahel, both as intensifying violence and serving as a critical source of livelihood for economically marginalised communities. By distributing the benefits of illegal markets, non-state armed groups often gain accommodation from local communities, further entrenching their influence and ability to perpetuate the cycle of insecurity. Firearms trafficking, in particular, has played a catalytic role in triggering conflict across the Sahel. Additionally, the UNODC report notes that organised criminal networks provide financial and human resources to armed groups, thereby prolonging conflicts. Illicit economies are central to sustaining violence, as revenues are either directly or indirectly reinvested in weapons and logistical support, strengthening the operational and economic resilience of armed groups.
Given the role of unregulated borders in facilitating TOC, the other issue to be addressed in tomorrow’s session is the institutional weaknesses at the national level that create the vacuum for the emergence and expansion of TOC. This draws attention to some of the major underlying causes, including spaces with weak presence of state institutions and porous borders. Apart from addressing state fragility and expanding legitimate local structures of governance, this highlights the need for strengthening border control capacities through training, technology transfer, and joint operations.
In addition to receiving updates and reflecting on trends in TOC in the Sahel during the past few years and its intersection with insecurity and conflict, tomorrow’s session serves to follow up on PSC’s earlier engagements on the subject. In its communiqué from its 1082nd session, the PSC had requested AFRIPOL to work in collaboration with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to develop two databases; one on persons, groups and entities involved in Transnational Organised Crimes, including Foreign Terrorist Fighters; and another regional database for guiding member states and RECs/RMs on their policy interventions for Transnational Organised Crimes. The PSC also requested AFRIPOL and INTERPOL to produce in-depth research on ‘regional information papers in the fight against transnational organised crime’. Given the two-year lapse, tomorrow’s session will provide an opportunity for the PSC to assess progress on these mandates and renew calls for institutional synergy. Also of importance is the need to bridge the gap, which is the disconnect between policy pronouncements and operational coherence. Coordination among the various AU bodies tasked with countering TOC continues to suffer from resource constraints and insufficient horizontal integration.
In terms of policy, some of the notable instruments include the November 2006 Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking on Human Beings, especially Women and Children, the 2014 Niamey Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, the August 2019 AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention 2019-2023 and the December 2018 Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organised Crimes Project. Institutionally, AFRIPOL is one of the recent institutional structures instituted at the AU as the continent’s law enforcement coordination mechanism to, among others, deal with TOC. An example of the contribution of AFRIPOL in this respect is the launch of ‘Operation TAPI’ in Benin, the first cross-border initiative that targeted a range of illicit activities, including the trafficking of drugs, pharmaceuticals, arms, counterfeit or smuggled goods and environmental crimes. The operation will engage six AU member states: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Nigeria, Chad, and Togo. It is also worth giving due consideration to deepen the role of the Nouakchott Process and the Djibouti Process in contributing to addressing the scourge of TOC. However, the AU has as yet to find ways of bringing counter TOC to the centre of its conflict prevention, management and resolution processes in view of TOC’s deepening entanglement with conflict dynamics. For example, it is rare that reference is made to the policy instruments cited above in responding to and dealing with specific conflict situations.
Beyond the continental frameworks, there is also the issue of how to mainstream response to and address TOC in international conflict management. In Mali, despite a 2018 mandate to address TOC, the UN’s mission, MINUSMA, focused primarily on terrorist financing rather than tackling the broader political economy that sustains organised crime. A similar pattern was noted in the Central African Republic under MINUSCA. These examples reflect a systemic challenge to treat TOC as a central concern of conflict dynamics. They also illustrate the broader problem of siloed mandates and loosely integrated strategies, an area where there is an increasing need for adaptation by peacekeeping missions.
Against this backdrop, in tomorrow’s meeting, the PSC also faces the challenge of how to push away from fragmented, security-heavy responses to more holistic, coordinated strategies that address the structural drivers of TOC and terrorism and emphasise the need for a multidimensional response that combines intelligence-sharing, targeted enforcement, and community resilience-building. The Council is likely to revisit the importance of early warning systems, localised peacebuilding efforts, institution-building, and socioeconomic development interventions as tools for preventing recruitment into criminal and terrorist networks. The 17th Joint Consultative Meeting between the AU PSC and the UNSC, convened on 6 October 2023, also underscored the necessity of a ‘multidimensional approach to tackle the structural root causes of insecurity’, while advocating for coordinated responses to the interlinked threats of terrorism and TOC in the Sahel. It also highlighted the importance of sustained international engagement. The need for stronger international partnerships is likely to be reiterated, as collaboration with global partners remains crucial for securing predictable and sustainable financing for regional initiatives. The PSC had emphasised the importance of cooperation with institutions such as the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), UNODC, and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) in previous sessions. The 17th Joint Consultative Meeting with the UNSC reinforced the value of aligning AU-led responses with global strategies like the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel while calling for increased, predictable funding for regional initiatives. Tomorrow’s session is expected to echo these calls, pushing for greater international support while ensuring that responses remain context-sensitive and locally owned.
The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué. The Council may express deep concern about the increasing threat of the scourge of transnational organised crime in Africa. It may underscore the need for adopting a multidimensional and multipronged approach that goes beyond security and law enforcement instruments. In this regard, it may call for increased use of livelihood support interventions, the rolling out of legitimate local governance structures and other peacebuilding and development support activities as critical measures to address not just the symptoms but also the underlying factors that make TOC possible. Given the transnational nature of TOC, the PSC may reiterate its call for enhanced cross-border cooperation, leveraging the Niamey Convention and the lessons from AFRIPOL’s Operation TAPI. It may also reiterate the importance of the Nouakchott and Djibouti processes while underscoring the need for ensuring that those processes expand their lens beyond the security and law enforcement domain to integrate peacebuilding with a focus on advancing economic development and building of legitimate local governance structures that facilitate the delivery of social services. The Council may also underscore the need for a whole of AU system approach, emphasising both the need for coordination between AU security institutions such as AFRIPOL and CISSA, and importantly, the role of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD), African Development Bank, AUDA/NEPAD, African Governance Architecture. The PSC may emphasise the need to develop counter TOC as a key area of joint action with the Regional Economic Communities/Mechanisms (RECs/RMs). It may task the AU Commission to develop and present a comprehensive report on both the trends in TOC in Africa and importantly on how the AU contributes to addressing the growing scourge of TOC leveraging on its broader governance, regional integration and peace and security norms and instruments while enhancing the role of AFRIPOL and CISSA in this area. The PSC may also task the AU, working closely with RECs/RMs, to develop guidance on giving growing attention to TOC in developing and implementing peace and security initiatives in conflict prevention, management and resolution efforts. It may also call for greater international support and cooperation in developing responses to the threat posed by TOC.
The Future of United Nations - African Union Peacekeeping Partnership: Practical Considerations for the Berlin Ministerial Conference
The Future of United Nations - African Union Peacekeeping Partnership: Practical Considerations for the Berlin Ministerial Conference
Date | 8 May 2025
INTRODUCTION
This report outlines what could constitute Africa’s key messages to the Berlin Ministerial Conference, informed by the continent’s extensive experience with peacekeeping operations and the imperative to harness the complementarity between UN and African Union (AU) efforts, while also situating the debate on the future of peacekeeping within the broader context of an evolving multilateral system. It then proceeds to highlight specific steps for enhancing the UN-AU partnership, drawing directly from the conclusions of the study on the future of peacekeeping. In its concluding section, the report underscores the relevance of peacekeeping to today’s peace and security challenges while continuing to adapt to remain fit for purpose, as well as its significance as an essential component of the very multilateral architecture that, in spite of its shortcomings, nonetheless offers Africa its most effective platform for advancing its agenda and interests on the global stage.
Africa and the African Union in Shaping the Future of Peacekeeping and the Berlin Ministerial
Africa and the African Union in Shaping the Future of Peacekeeping and the Berlin Ministerial
Date | 6 May 2025
INTRODUCTION
Peacekeeping faces unprecedented challenges, driven by rapidly evolving security threats, complex global geopolitics, and shifting priorities among Member States. While talk of the ‘end of peacekeeping’ may be overstated, the foundational consensus that has long supported peacekeeping missions has faded, if not collapsed. In response, the international community—including policymakers, scholars, and peacekeeping practitioners—is engaged in a deep reassessment of peacekeeping’s role, relevance, and the strategies required to adapt and make it fit for these changes and challenges.
This policy brief presents an analysis of the major themes and insights that emerged from a day-long conference that Amani Africa convened on 19 March 2025 based on the UN Commissioned Independent Study on the Future of Peacekeeping.
Briefing on AU Support to Member States on Security Sector Reform
Briefing on AU Support to Member States on Security Sector Reform
Date | 6 May 2025
Tomorrow (07 May), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1278th session to receive a briefing on the theme ‘AU Support to Member States (The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, and South Sudan) on Security Sector Reform (SSR): Lessons Learned and Perspectives on the Way Forward’.
The session will commence with opening statements by Harold Bundu Saffa, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the AU and PSC Chairperson for May, followed by introductory remarks from Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). Statements are expected from the representatives of The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, and South Sudan. Mali, currently suspended from AU activities, will not participate in the session. In addition, statements may be delivered by the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs). Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU and Head of the United Nations Office to the AU (UNOAU), will also address the session. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) may brief the PSC on the study reviewing the SSR processes in the five countries, conducted in partnership with the AU Commission.
This is not the first time the PSC is addressing the issue of Security Sector Reform. The last dedicated discussion on the theme took place at the 874th session in September 2019, held in the context of the commemoration of Africa Amnesty Month. In that session, the PSC underscored that good governance of the security sector is a sine qua non for sustainable economic and political development and recognised SSR as a ‘delicate, sensitive, and politically complex process’ requiring careful handling. SSR is also featured regularly in PSC discussions on country-specific situations. For instance, at its 844th session in April 2019, the PSC considered a progress report on SSR in The Gambia. During its 1219th session in June 2024, while reviewing the report of its field mission to South Sudan, the PSC called on the Chairperson of the Commission to provide technical support to South Sudan on SSR, Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), and the collection of weapons currently in illegal possession.
Beyond the PSC, the AU Commission undertook several activities in 2023 to mark the 10th anniversary of the AU SSR Policy Framework, adopted by the AU Assembly at its 20th Ordinary Session. In November 2023, it convened a major conference under the theme ‘The African Union Security Sector Reform Policy Framework: A Decade of Implementation’. This served as a platform for reflecting on achievements, challenges, and lessons from a decade of AU support to Member States, while setting a course for the next phase. Also in November, the AU Commission convened the 5th meeting of the AU/Regional Economic Communities (RECs) SSR Steering Committee—established in 2019—which reviewed the implementation of the AU SSR Policy Framework and discussed follow-up on the Addis Ababa conference, agreeing to submit recommendations to the PSC for strategic guidance.
The AU Commission, in partnership with the ISS, has also conducted a study documenting lessons from AU engagement on SSR in The Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, and South Sudan. Tomorrow’s session is expected to build on this study, offering a reflection on AU’s engagement over the past decade, identifying gaps, and informing recalibrated approaches to better support Member States.
Over the years, the engagement of the AU in SSR is anchored on various normative and institutional frameworks elaborated as part of its peace and security mandate. The 2013 AU SSR Policy Framework remains central, offering guidance to the AU, RECs, Member States, and partners on implementing SSR programmes. SSR is also a pillar of the AU’s Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy—revised in 2024—which outlines key objectives for conflict-affected states. Complementing this framework, the AU Commission has developed several Operational Guidance Notes (OGNs) on aspects of SSR including training, needs assessments, legislative harmonisation, codes of conduct, good practices, monitoring and evaluation, and gender integration. In October 2024, the Commission also finalised draft OGNs on ‘Oversight and Accountability in SSR’ and ‘SSR and Mediation’, which were validated through a workshop.
At the institutional level, the AU’s DDR/SSR Division, under the Governance and Conflict Prevention Directorate, oversees SSR-related activities. The Commission also established mechanisms for regular dialogue and coordination, including the triannual SSR Africa Forum and the annual SSR Steering Committee, which bring together the AU, RECs, the UN, and other partners to coordinate support and share best practices.
The AU’s SSR work is integral to its broader peace and security agenda, including Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063 and the ‘Silencing the Guns’ flagship initiative, which should be applied not only in post-conflict settings but also as a conflict prevention strategy. Its efforts focus on three core areas: providing direct technical support to Member States, generating knowledge tools and building capacity, and promoting coordination among actors. Support to Member States is provided upon request and typically covers design, implementation, and coordination of nationally led SSR processes.
Tomorrow’s briefing is expected to highlight country-specific engagements by the AU Commission in the five focus countries.
In The Gambia, AU support has demonstrated how modest interventions can yield significant results. Between 2018 and 2020, the AU Technical Support Team to The Gambia (AUTSTG)—a small group of SSR and rule of law experts—was embedded in national institutions. The team assisted in developing the National Security Policy, structuring the Office of the National Security Adviser, reorganising the Ministry of Defence and the Gambia Armed Forces, and enhancing civil-military cooperation. Though the AUTSTG’s mandate ended in 2020, AU support has continued. In November 2024, the Commission supported the review of the national SSR strategy and helped develop an M&E framework in line with the AU Operational Guidance Note.
In Mali, the AU provided support through its Mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL), deploying a DDR/SSR expert in 2018 to assist in implementing accelerated DDR and restructuring defence and security forces. In 2024, the AU supported efforts to enhance national capacity for SSR M&E, aligned with Mali’s National SSR Strategy (2020–2024).
AU support to Madagascar began in 2014 after a constitutional crisis. The AU led a joint SSR assessment with partners, identifying key priorities. Subsequently, the Commission deployed SSR experts to the AU Liaison Office in Madagascar to advise on the formulation, design and implementation of a nationally led SSR initiative. This engagement contributed to the adoption of a national SSR Policy in 2016. The Commission also supported the country’s SSR revitalisation processes in the re-establishment of a national SSR coordination mechanism.
In Lesotho, the AU worked in close collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In 2016, the AU and SADC supported a national technical workshop on SSR that helped forge consensus on the importance of implementing SSR and establishing the necessary legal, institutional, and financial frameworks. The AU further deployed a consultant to support the reform process.
In South Sudan, following a request from the government and a PSC decision, the AU deployed a DDR/SSR consultant between November 2023 and February 2024 to support the Strategic Defence and Security Review Board (SDSRB) in developing SSR guidelines, which were validated in July 2024. Ongoing technical needs, the Commission also deployed a senior DDR/SSR consultant with arms management expertise in November 2024.
In addition to highlighting technical support, tomorrow’s briefing is expected to reflect on key challenges and lessons. One of the major challenges in this regard is securing political will. SSR is not merely a technical exercise but is fundamentally political as it involves control over the state’s coercive instruments. As such, governments may be reluctant to embrace SSR, particularly when it challenges entrenched power structures. Even when SSR is launched—sometimes to meet donor expectations—it often lacks genuine political backing or adequate resources. South Sudan provides a case in point: despite AU support, the SSR process has stalled amid delays in force unification and deployment. Tensions between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, exacerbated by the 4 March 2025 incident, underline the risks of half-hearted commitment.
These experiences demonstrate the importance of advocacy and awareness-raising to encourage Member States to view SSR as essential to peace and democratisation. Trust is also vital. Without confidence in the support provided—both in terms of the AU’s impartiality and the expertise of its consultants—Member States may resist or delay cooperation. Ensuring national ownership and deploying highly qualified technical experts are critical for success.
Moreover, while SSR is a necessary condition for sustainable peace, it is not sufficient on its own. To achieve lasting outcomes, it must be embedded within broader processes of political reform and democratisation. In this context, it is particularly important to integrate and ensure the coordinated implementation of interrelated programmes such as DDR and transitional justice as part of a comprehensive political settlement.
The complex socio-political and security dynamics in political transitions and stabilisation processes present another challenge, often slowing SSR implementation. The lack of inclusive processes and the failure to design gender-sensitive SSR programmes are also critical gaps that need to be addressed
Another challenge is funding. AU support to the five countries has often involved short-term consultancy deployments due to budget constraints, even though long-term engagement is necessary. Increasing the allocation of resources from the AU Peace Fund could help address this gap. The recent operationalisation of the Peace Fund and its Crisis Reserve Facility (CRF), in line with the Assembly’s February 2023 decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.2(XXXVI)], is a promising development. It is to be recalled that the AU disbursed USD 1 million in late 2023 to support DDR efforts in Ethiopia. Given the involvement of multiple stakeholders in SSR, enhanced coordination also remains imperative to prevent duplication and ensure efficient use of limited resources.
The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué. The PSC is expected to commend the decades of support provided by the AU Commission to Member States in implementing SSR programmes. It may encourage Member States to fully utilise the technical support offered by the Commission, including the AU SSR Policy Framework and Operational Guidance Notes. At the same time, the communiqué may underscore the need to address key challenges impeding effective SSR implementation, particularly the lack of political commitment and funding gaps. In this context, the PSC may highlight the importance of sustained advocacy and awareness-raising to promote SSR as a cornerstone of lasting peace. The PSC may call for embedding SSR in robust security sector governance reform and political settlement. It may also emphasise the need for adequate and predictable funding to strengthen the Commission’s support. To this end, and alongside efforts to mobilise resources and coordinate with international partners, the PSC may explore the possibility of leveraging the AU Peace Fund to finance SSR support to Member States. It may further encourage Member States to integrate SSR-related expenditures into their national budgets. Finally, the PSC may stress the imperative of designing and implementing inclusive and gender-responsive SSR programmes in Member States.
