Open Session on Protection of Journalists and Access to Information in Situations of Armed Conflicts in Africa
Open Session on Protection of Journalists and Access to Information in Situations of Armed Conflicts in Africa
Date | 1 September 2024
Tomorrow (2 September), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1230th session focusing on the Protection of Journalists and Access to Information in Situations of Armed Conflicts in Africa.
The Permanent Representative of Cameroon to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of September 2024, Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, will deliver opening remarks followed by Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). It is anticipated that Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to information in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will make a presentation alongside Omar Faruk Osman, President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) as well as Lydia Gachungi, UNESCO Regional Adviser on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists. A representative from the ICRC is also expected to make a statement.
As highlighted below, while there were sessions that raised aspects of the issues expected to feature during this session, this is the first time the PSC is considering this theme as framed for this session. This open session coincides with the 10th anniversary of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI). As it’s to be recalled, in 2013, during its 70th plenary meeting, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 68/163 in which it decided, on page 3, to, among other things, ‘…proclaim 2 November as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.’ In this regard, to commemorate this anniversary, the AU and UNESCO are jointly planning to hold a global conference in Addis Ababa from 6 – 7 November 2024 under the theme of ‘Safety of Journalists in Crises and Emergencies.’ 28 September 2024 on the other hand, will also mark the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) as decided during the 74th UN General Assembly, in October 2019. During its commemoration in 2021, the AU reiterated its commitment to promote the right of access to information despite the challenges faced at all levels.
Within the framework of the AU, one of the entities that has carried out various initiatives for the protection of journalists and access to information is the Banjul-based AU’s human rights body, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Consistent with AU’s strategic plan, Agenda 2063, specifically Aspiration 3 and 4 which speak of “An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law’’ and “A peaceful and secure Africa’’, respectively, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission) during its 67th Ordinary Session held from 13 November to 3 December 2020, adopted the ‘Resolution on the Safety of Journalists and Media Practitioners in Africa’. This resolution builds on the ACHPR’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa (the Declaration). This declaration provides a framework for African countries to follow as it contains establishments and principles for anchoring the rights to freedom of expression and access to information in conformity with Article 9 of the African Charter which guarantees individuals the right to receive information as well as the right to express and disseminate information. The Model Law on Access to Information, the ACHPR adopted in 2013, provides specific guidelines for African countries to fulfill their legal obligations under the African Charter regarding the right of access to information. Reports have further indicated that as of 2024, 29 African countries have adopted Access To Information (ATI) laws, while 26 others have yet to have the ATI law in Africa.
While journalists operating in conflict areas face inherent dangers, they are more vulnerable to direct violence as conflict parties seek to impose control on what is reported during conflicts. Thus, despite the provision of certain protection that is accorded to journalists under the international humanitarian law (IHL), such as immunity from military attacks and prisoner of war status for those accompanying armed forces, these protections are not always respected and journalists continue to face a wide range of threats, including censorship, harassment, arbitrary detention and even killings.
Recent reports indicate a rise in journalist killings in conflict-affected countries, reversing a previous trend of declining violence against media professionals. Although countries in conflict are not among the top countries with the worst records in the treatment of journalists as recorded in the Press Freedom Index in Africa 2022-2024, situations in which incidents of violence including the killing of journalists have been reported include the Sahel, Cameroon, DRC, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan among others. Incidents of attacks and violence on media practitioners and journalists have also been reported in recent protests staged in Kenya and Nigeria. In Somalia, in the course of 2023, a report from the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) documented numerous violent attacks, threats, and instances of persecution against media workers in the country. Somalia is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work.
It is worth noting that women journalists and media practitioners face much higher levels of danger on account of the gendered nature of conflicts and crises. Apart from compounding the already small number of women media practitioners, such a gendered nature of attacks on women journalists has even greater adverse consequences in terms of giving voice to and capturing the disproportionately higher levels of dangers that women and girls are exposed to in conflict settings. In addition to these, the stigmatisation and stereotypical portrayal of women in conflict and crisis reporting, lack of women-owned media, underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, unethical reporting practices, and a failure to engage with survivors of violence, especially women and girls are more examples of challenges of journalism in the gender-inclusivity context. As it is to be recalled, the PSC during its 635th meeting held on 20 October 2016, dedicated to the theme ‘The role of the media in enhancing accountability on women, peace and security commitments in Africa’, stressed the need for, among other things, ‘…media reporting to be context-sensitive, as well as to take into consideration existing gender and power relations.’ This was followed by the launch of the Network of Reporters on Women, Peace and Security jointly by the AU Commission and UN Women on 21 October 2016, an initiative to recognise media as a key partner in advancing the women, peace and security agenda.
Taking note of the growing challenges of misinformation and disinformation as well as hate speech in the context of new digital technologies and the acuteness of these challenges in crisis and conflict settings, the session will underscore the importance of the protection of journalists and factual reporting. In the same context, the session is expected to reflect on the positioning, status and treatment of new forms of media namely bloggers, vloggers, content creators, influencers and a myriad of new media actors in the collection, treatment and diffusion of information in crisis contexts and emergencies. In this context, on 4 August 2022, PSC’s 1097th session dedicated under the theme of ‘Emerging Technologies and New Media: Impact on Democratic Governance, Peace and Security in Africa,’ highlighted ‘the need for the AU Commission to comprehensively and systematically address the immediate issues that arise from emerging technologies and new media, including the use of such emerging technologies and new media by actors engaged in terrorism and organised crime, the misuse of social media for propagation of hate, and the use of such technologies for surveillance, repression, censorship, online harassment and orchestrating cyber-attacks.’ Moreover, the session requested ‘the AU Commission in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive study on Emerging Technologies and New Media: Impact on Democratic Governance, Peace and Security in Africa and the policy options available for harnessing the advantages and for effectively addressing the security threats associated with the use of these technologies and new media in Africa, based on available resources and to report back to Council.’
While there are six ‘Group of Friends for the Safety of Journalists’ globally, there is none in Africa. The six Group of Friends have been formed by permanent missions at the UN Secretariat in New York, UNESCO in Paris, OHCHR in Geneva, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, the Council of Europe (CoE) in Strasbourg and the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Washington. As such, tomorrow’s session may serve as an opportunity for the establishment of the Group of Friends for the Protection of Journalists in Africa, building on the Network of reporters on Women, Peace and Security launched in 2022 as noted above.
The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué. The PSC may express concern over the plight of journalists and other media practitioners in active conflict situations. In this regard, it may stress the important role that the media can play as an agent of peace through factual and professional reporting. The PSC may commend the rich jurisprudence and elaboration of soft laws on freedom of expression, access to information and the protection of journalists by the ACHPR and urge AU member States to draw on and respect these soft laws and the decisions of the ACHPR. The PSC may further stress the need for member states to create an enabling environment for media including through the adoption and implementation of the law on access to information in accordance with the Model Law as a critical step for enabling journalists and media practitioners to play their role of informing the public and providing factual information critical to policy making including factual information and reporting critical to the planning, designing and implementation of initiatives for peace and for fighting misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, thereby contributing to the achievement of Agenda 2063 and the goal of silencing the guns in Africa by the year 2030. The PSC may also call on AU member states to further strengthen their legal frameworks, combat impunity against journalists and guarantee the safety and security of media personnel. It may also reiterate its 635th session on the need for media reporting to be context-sensitive, as well as to take into consideration existing gender and power relations. PSC may also call for the adoption of targeted measures for the protection in particular of women journalists and media practitioners considering the disproportionately higher level of risk facing women media practitioners and their small number. The PSC may also call for the formation of a ‘Group of Friends for the Safety of Journalists in Africa’ similar to other continents, with the objective of enhancing multilateral cooperation, preventing violence, protecting journalists at risk, prosecuting perpetrators and creating a safe environment for media workers. The PSC may also call on all member states, which have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention).
Monthly Digest on The African Union Peace And Security Council - July 2024
Monthly Digest on The African Union Peace And Security Council - July 2024
Date | July 2024
During Angola’s chairmanship in July, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) planned to conduct five substantive sessions, one informal consultation, and a field mission to Mozambique. There were two changes to the Provisional Programme of Work (PPoW) for the month.
Of the five sessions, two were dedicated to addressing country-specific situations. The remaining three sessions, along with the informal consultation, focused on thematic matters. During the month, except for one ministerial-level session, all the sessions were held at the ambassadorial level.
Provisional Program of Work of the PSC for the Month of September 2024
Provisional Program of Work of the PSC for the Month of September 2024
Date | September 2024
In September, the Republic of Cameroon will assume the role of Chair of the Peace and Security Council for the month. The month’s Provisional Programme of Work (PPoW) includes five substantive PSC sessions and two field missions. Four substantive sessions will occur on thematic issues while one substantive session and two field missions will address country-specific situations. In addition to its field mission, members of the Council will partake in several bilateral and multilateral engagements for the month, most notably the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where the major highlight is the Summit of the Future.
The first session of the month, scheduled for 2 September, will focus on the Protection of Journalists in Conflict Situations in Africa. This session marks the Council’s inaugural endeavour to address the protection of journalists in conflict situations. The session is prompted by the rising number of journalists trapped in war which is exemplified in the case of the war in Sudan where reports on the targeting and attacks on journalists by both of the conflict actors are ostensible. The session is an opportune moment for the Council to address the needs of journalists in the context of conflict.
During the second week of September, the Council will undertake a field mission to the Central Africa Republic (CAR) between 9-11 September. The field mission will commemorate African Amnesty Month, which has taken place every September since 2017 as part of AU’s flagship project on Silencing the Guns. During the last commemoration, the Council undertook a field mission to Maputo, Mozambique which focused on lessons learned from Mozambique on Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR). In addition to the commemoration of Amnesty Month, the Council will also undertake consultations with the CAR government as a follow-up to its recent session held in July where the Council deliberated on the status of the implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR (PAPR-CAR) and the preparation for local elections. It may be beneficial for the Council to use this engagement as an opportunity to identify dedicated support to the CAR for bridging the gap and facilitating the minimum consensus necessary for an inclusive and participatory electoral process for local elections.
Upon completing a field mission to the Central African Republic (CAR), the Council will conduct another field visit to Gabon. During this visit, the Council will engage with the transitional government to discuss the process of returning to constitutional order. This session is particularly important as it coincides with the one-year anniversary of the military coup in Gabon on August 30, 2023. The transitional government has taken some measures to facilitate a return to constitutional order, such as launching the National Dialogue process in April 2024 and establishing a transitional timeline. Additionally, the Council will consult with the regional decision-making body of ECCAS. This is similar to the consultation the PSC held in April with the ECOWAS Council.
On 16 September Civil-Military Relations and Conflict Management in Africa. The PSC over the past two years has consistently scheduled a session on civil-military relations as a factor for peace and security in Africa’ in 2022 and a session on Code of Conduct on the Civil-Military-Relations in Africa at the Military Staff Committee in 2023, although the session in the end did not materialise despite having been scheduled. The session will provide an opportunity for the Council to have dedicated attention to this crucial matter.
On 18 September, the PSC will host an open ambassadorial-level session on ‘Disaster Management in Africa: Nexus between Climate Change, Peace, and Security in Africa’. This session comes at a time when African member states are increasingly engaged in discussions about the impact of climate change and the rising number of disasters on the continent over the past decade. There has been a noticeable increase in natural disasters across Africa, ranging from the devastating impact of Storm Daniel in Libya, which resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 civilians, to the consistent occurrence of cyclones in southern Africa, particularly Mozambique, as well as an increasing number of floods in East Africa. These events highlight the growing concern around natural disasters in Africa. It is crucial for the Council to address the root causes and find sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by natural disasters. The Council has not yet requested the identification of mitigation strategies, which is an essential step towards addressing this issue. During the PSC’s 1043rd session on ‘Addressing Disaster Management Issues in Africa: Challenges and Perspectives for Human Security’, concrete measures were not taken to address the impact of natural disasters on human security. Considering the increasing number of natural disasters since the last session, it is vital for the Council to use this session as an opportunity to identify mitigation measures that member states can take to protect their citizens in the face of the growing likelihood of natural disasters.
On the margins of the Summit of the Futures, on 25 September, the PSC will have a session on new security threats in Africa and the future of the PSC at the ministerial level, as part of the anniversary of the PSC @20. This will take forward the issues identified during the summit level 20th anniversary of the PSC held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 25 May and build on the Dar es Salaam Declaration on the anniversary.
As the last session of the month, the PSC will receive an update on the situation in South Sudan on 30 September. Over this year, the PSC has engaged the situation in South Sudan by undertaking a field mission and holding its 1219th session to consider the adoption of the Report of its field mission to South Sudan. Key elements that may be relevant for the PSC to consider during its session include the PSC’s request for the AUC Chair to support South Sudan in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and Security Sector Reform (SSR); the training deployment of Necessary United Force (NUF) and the Councils request for the AUC to provide technical support and coordinate with relevant actors in mobilising technical and financial assistance as South Sudan as it prepares for its upcoming elections.
In addition to the substantive sessions and activities of the PSC, the program of work for the month also encompasses the meetings of the PSC subsidiary bodies. The Committee of Experts (CoE) is expected to continue their preparatory meeting on the 18th Annual Joint Consultation between the PSC and UNSC, which has been consecutively tabled on the PSC agenda since July. The Military Staff Committee will also convene on 5 September to engage with the African Peace Support Trainers Association.
Inclusive Education in Conflict Situations
Inclusive Education in Conflict Situations
Date | 20 August 2024
Tomorrow (21 August), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1229th session focusing on inclusive education in conflict situations.
The Permanent Representative of Botswana to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of August 2024, Tebelelo Boang, will deliver opening remarks followed by Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). Professor Mohammed Belhocine, AU Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation will brief the PSC. Bruce Mokaya Orina, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Delegation to the AU is also expected to make a presentation alongside a representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Tomorrow’s session is being convened as one of the follow-up commitments by AU member states during the High-Level Side Event on “Transforming Education in Africa” held at the margins of the global Transforming Education Summit (TES) and the 77th United Nations General Assembly, on 20 September 2022. It is also being held within the framework of the AU theme of 2024 which is ‘Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa.’ Given Africa’s ongoing and widespread conflicts, addressing the devastating effects on education is crucial for minimising the impacts of conflicts and break the cycle of violence.
The open session is expected to address at least three inter-related issues. The first of these concerns the kind of challenges that arise for education in conflict situations. The second set of issues concerns the different manifestations of the impact of conflicts on education in territories affected by conflict in various parts of the continent. The third set of issues addresses what these challenges and manifestations of the impact of conflicts on education mean for the mandate of the PSC and how the PSC may build on and take forward its previous engagements on the issue.
The challenges to education arising in conflict situations can be categorised into four categories. The first category relates to the impact on the students and teachers as they become victims of violence and are forced into displacement due to the conflict and into joining the ranks of fighters as well as due to the disruption that the conflict causes to essential services and access to basic necessities. The second category is a manifestation of breaches of international humanitarian law as the education system including education facilities are damaged and destroyed. Third, there is the practice of the occupation of education facilities by armed groups and their use for military purposes. Finally, it is worth highlighting that women and girls in the education system are disproportionately affected by the adverse consequences of conflicts on education.
Recently, Sudan has become the world’s largest child displacement crisis, with over 4 million children forced from their homes, since April 2023, including nearly 1 million children crossing into neighbouring countries. This has led to the country having one of the worst education crises in the world, with more than 90% of the country’s 19 million school-age children having no access to formal education. On 14 August 2024, at least five children were reportedly killed and 20 injured in shelling of a school and market in El Obeid city. To date, most schools remain closed for the second school year in a row. More than 17 million, of the 19 million school-aged children, are out of school. More than 110 schools and hospitals have been attacked since the beginning of the conflict and hundreds of schools are used as shelters for the internally displaced, constraining access to education in areas where schools have been partially opened. Thousands have been killed or injured and many more have suffered grave violations including sexual violence, forced recruitment and other horrific abuses. The number of these grave violations against children has increased dramatically from 2022 to 2023, and, sad to say, the problem continues to worsen.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), about 900,000 children aged 6 to 17 are out of school due to armed conflicts in the region. This contributed to the 1.3 million children being out of school in the country. North Kivu province, for instance, has been particularly affected with nearly 1,000 primary schools closed in the first quarter of 2024.
In the Central African Republic Children continue to suffer greatly from ongoing violence, displacement and natural disasters. The country has been engulfed in a decade-long cycle of violence and instability. A brutal conflict erupted in the capital, Bangui, in late 2013, and despite brief periods of calm, widespread fighting continued, with civilians bearing the impetus of the attacks. A peace agreement signed in 2019, however, failed to bring lasting peace. While the intensity of violence has eased somewhat since the height of the 2021 crisis, the country remains in a dire humanitarian situation. Even though there has been some improvement in security, nearly half the country’s population, including 1.3 million children, still needs humanitarian aid. Ongoing conflict, displacement and natural disasters continue to devastate families, especially those in the most vulnerable communities. UNICEF data reveals a dire humanitarian situation with 1.4 million children in urgent need of assistance. In addition, around 514,000 people are internally displaced, while a total of 3.4 million people are requiring humanitarian aid.
In Ethiopia on the other hand, recent statistics show that ‘approximately 17 million children, spanning pre-primary, primary and junior secondary levels, are currently out of school with nearly half of them being girls. Additionally, an estimated 3.5 million children at primary and secondary levels are at risk of dropping out, further exacerbating the education crisis.’ In various parts of the country, school disruptions due to conflict and insecurity have resulted in numerous challenges, including increased school dropout rates and a rise in child marriage.
In Mali, according to the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), an estimated 7.1 million people need humanitarian assistance, 54% of them being children. In the context of the ongoing conflict involving terrorist groups, a staggering 1,024 grave violations were documented in 2022 alone. The escalating violence, as evidenced by a 76% increase in violent events between 2020 and 2023, has severely disrupted education. Over 1,700 schools have been closed, denying over half a million children access to learning and impacting thousands of teachers. This educational disruption has put children at heightened risk of exploitation and abuse. The convergence of conflict and climate change has created a humanitarian catastrophe with devastating consequences for children, leading to an increase in out-of-school children.
In northern Mozambique, recent attacks and the ensuing fear in Cabo Delgado, have caused a humanitarian crisis, displacing nearly 100,000 people, including over 60,000 children. This mass displacement has left children extremely vulnerable to violence, exploitation and recruitment by armed groups. Over 100 schools have been forced to close due to insecurity in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces, disrupting the education of more than 50,000 children. The crisis has also cut off essential services, including healthcare, nutrition and sanitation, for countless families.
In Somalia, decades of conflict have ravaged the country’s health and education systems, leaving them severely underfunded, inaccessible and ineffective. As a consequence, the vast majority of children – nearly 85% – are not enrolled in school.
The foregoing highlights of the impacts of conflict on education show the necessity for paying particular attention to promoting inclusive education in conflict-affected areas. This can be done through enhancing the protection of education facilities, supporting the continuing operation of schools and educational activities, prioritising support for education, particularly for female students and teachers, in designing and implementing humanitarian assistance for internally displaced people (IDPs), refugees and asylum seekers. Thus, apart from the challenges and the various manifestations of the impact of conflicts on education, the open session is also expected to highlight some of the successful models of inclusive education in conflict situations. In this regard, it is expected to explore effective strategies and initiatives that have promoted inclusive education in conflict-affected regions of Africa. A specific example is in the Eastern DRC region where an alternative learning opportunity for displaced children has been introduced. The radio education program, launched in January 2024 has enabled children, by participating in listening clubs organised at displacement sites, to continue to learn and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue their education as soon as possible.
In terms of addressing critical issues, the PSC may follow up on its 597th session that called on all Member States in conflict situations to comply with international humanitarian law and to ensure that schools are not used for military purposes and its support for the ‘Safe Schools Guidelines,’ and urged all the other AU Member States, which have not yet done so, also to endorse these Guidelines. Going beyond the issue of protection of education facilities, the PSC during its 661st meeting underlined the ‘need for governments to institutionalise the protection of children within their disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) and security sector reform (SSR) programmes, as well as to include rehabilitation and opportunities for education to former child soldiers, particularly in countries emerging from conflicts.’ The PSC could also build on its 706th session, which, expressing ‘deep concern at the high number of out-of-school children in Africa, particularly in countries affected by armed conflict and the resultant effect of extreme poverty’, underscored the need to have an ‘enhanced coordination by the AU Commission Departments of Social Affairs, Political Affairs, Science and Technology and Peace and Security, amongst others, to address issues pertaining to child soldiers and out-of-school children, in particular, their education, health and security.’ In the same vein, the PSC ‘underscored the need for the AU to establish a comprehensive child protection architecture within the AU Commission, with a view to ensure the full implementation of various instruments adopted at the continental and international level to this effect.
The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué or a press statement. The PSC may express concern over the scale and dire state of the impact of conflicts on education and the implications of the high-level disruption of access to education to the attainment of the objectives of Agenda 2063. The PSC may call for the imperative for ensuring respect for and full compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law and, reiterating its previous sessions, urge all member states to endorse and promote the Safe School Declaration. Council may welcome the initiatives some Member States have taken to promote and protect the right of children to education and to facilitate the continuation of education in situations of armed conflicts. It may also call on humanitarian actors and states to prioritise the provision of education to IDPs, refugees and asylum seekers in their planning of the provision of humanitarian assistance. The PSC may also reiterate its call for ‘enhanced coordination by the AU Commission Departments of Social Affairs, Political Affairs, Science and Technology and Peace and Security, amongst others, to address issues pertaining to child soldiers and out-of-school children, in particular, their education, health and security.’ The PSC may also underscore the need for mainstreaming of measures for the protection of education facilities and creating conditions for enabling the provision of education in conflict settings in all AU peace and security initiatives as part of its role in promoting the protection of Civilians. It may also underscore the need for provision of unhindered humanitarian access as a key mechanism for facilitating opportunities for the provision of education opportunities for children affected by conflicts and psycho-social support. The PSC may also further underscore the need for prioritising enhanced support for the rehabilitation and speedy resumption of normal education processes as part of post-conflict reconstruction and development measures.
Briefing on the situation in Sudan
Briefing on the situation in Sudan
Date | 18 August 2024
Tomorrow (19 August), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1228th session to discuss the situation in Sudan.
The Permanent Representative of Botswana to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of August 2024, Tebelelo A. Boang will deliver opening remarks. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) is also expected to make a statement. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Chairperson of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan and AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns in Africa will also deliver a briefing which will be followed by a statement by the representative of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The last time the PSC discussed Sudan was at its 1218th meeting on 21 June held at the Heads of State and Government level in which it directed the AU Commission Chairperson to urgently set up a PSC Ad–hoc Presidential Committee comprising one Head of State and Government from each region of the continent led by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda and PSC Chairperson for June 2024. The establishment of the Ad–hoc Presidential Committee aims to bring the weight of the wider AU membership to bear on the leaders of the warring parties towards facilitating a face-to-face engagement between them. Apart from following up on the implementation of the outcome of its 1218th session, tomorrow’s session is expected to review the state of the diplomatic efforts towards peace in Sudan. An important aspect of the focus of the session would be on the work of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan.
In his update, it is expected that the Chair of the AU High-Level Panel, Chambas, will provide an update on the work done thus far. Following the listening tour of the Panel for engaging Sudanese actors and neighbouring countries, the focus of the Panel has been on preparing for an inclusive inter-Sudanese political dialogue. It is to be recalled that the PSC at its 1209th session tasked the Panel as part of the process for the convening of the political dialogue to convene ‘the preparatory/planning process’ in collaboration with IGAD and neighbouring states.
Since then, the Panel together with the IGAD Special Envoy for Sudan convened the preparatory meeting for an Inter-Sudanese Political Dialogue in Addis Ababa from 10-15 July 2024. While the plan was to engage Sudanese political and civilian actors on principles to guide the dialogue, the agenda or issues to be on the agenda of the political dialogue, criteria for participation/or representation in the political dialogue and the venue of the inter-Sudanese political dialogue. A significant portion of Sudanese political and civilian forces, who expressed reservations about the inadequacy of consultations in preparing the preparatory meeting and the lack of transparency about the list of participants, boycotted the meeting. Despite this setback, the meeting was conducted with those present at the AU headquarters. Upon the conclusion of the meeting, the participants submitted their recommendations on the convening of the inter-Sudanese dialogue. Recognising the need for engaging other Sudanese stakeholders, Chambas in his remark at the closing of the meeting noted that ‘this particular meeting is one in a series of consultations’ rather than the one preparatory meeting initially expected. Explaining further, he indicated that ‘this will be followed by consultations with Taqqdum, SLM Abdul Wahid, SPLM-North Al Hilu, the Radical Block and others.’
As a follow-up to the foregoing and following the consultations, another round of preparatory meeting was convened from 9-12 August. This round brought together Sudanese civil and political actors that did not participate in the initial convening including representatives of Taqadum, SPLM-North Al Hilu, SLM Abdul Wahid, Ba’ath Party, DUP, and PCP. Following three days of meeting, Tagadum, the DUP and the PCP prepared and submitted a joint document containing their recommendations on the agenda, participation/representation, the phases of the dialogue and the role of the mediator and the international community in the inter-Sudanese dialogue. The armed movements SPLM-North Al Hilu and SLM Abdul Wahid did not sign this joint document.
At the conclusion of the second preparatory meeting, Chambas indicated that the outcome document from this consultation would be synthesised with the outcomes of other consultations to develop the guiding principles, possible agenda and criteria of representation. Considering the differences between the group that participated in the initial meeting and the group in the latest preparatory meeting, there is an expectation on the Panel from some of the participants that the Panel would put forward a bridging proposal to the civilian and political actors based on a synthesis of the proposals presented to it from the two rounds.
Apart from the activities of the AU High-Level Panel, it would also be of interest for members of the PSC to be updated on the status of other diplomatic efforts including those led by the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and the ceasefire talks being held in Geneva. The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra convened the Sudanese warring parties for proximity talks in Geneva from 11 and 19 July 2024. According to a press release on 19 July 2024, the Personal Envoy and his team had around 20 sessions with the parties, including technical and plenary meetings. Lamamra characterised the meeting as an encouraging initial step in what is likely to be a longer and more complex mediation process. He expressed his intentions to remain in close contact with them to follow up on the implementation of commitments made and address critical issues.
In addition to Lamamra’s ongoing efforts, the US invited the Sudanese parties to participate in ceasefire talks scheduled for 14 August in Geneva. This followed the apparent suspension of the US-Saudi facilitated talks in Jeddah in December 2023 apparently because of the failure of the parties to implement the commitments made as part of the talks, including confidence-building measures and the withdrawal of military forces from key cities.
The US-led Geneva talks, which will be co-sponsored by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland and involve the African Union, the United Nations, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates as observers, intend to facilitate a nationwide cessation of violence to allow humanitarian access to all those in need and develop a robust monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the implementation of any agreement. The leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti) welcomed the invitation and expressed his commitment to participate constructively in the talks. The leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fettah al-Burhan had also accepted the invitation on the condition that ‘any negotiations before … full withdrawal and an end to expansion (by the RSF) will not be acceptable to the Sudanese people,’ according to media reports. Later on, however, he appears to have backtracked on this after surviving a drone strike while on a military graduation ceremony at the Sudanese army base in eastern Sudan that reportedly left at least five people killed. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Al-Burhan on the phone on 5 August 2024 and urged him to attend the talks. Al-Burhan subsequently sent his delegations to Jeddah for consultations with the US but the meeting reportedly ended without any agreement on SAF’s participation at the Geneva talks. On 14 August, it was reported that Burhan ruled out ceasefire talks until the withdrawal of RSF from the cities it occupies. Despite sending delegations and declaring this as a testament to its commitment, the RSF delegation was not present at the start of the talks on 14 August. One significant development during the Geneva engagement is the announcement made on 17 August regarding the decision by the Sovereign Council of Sudan and commitments made by the RSF concerning humanitarian access. A joint statement by the international delegation highlighted the recent decision by the Sovereign Council of Sudan to open a border crossing from Chad to Nonn Danur via Adre for the next three months and the commitments made by the RSF to allow for humanitarian delivery through Dabbah, providing aid to Darfur and Kordofan. This marks progress in addressing the needs of the 25 million Sudanese requiring humanitarian assistance.
The setbacks that the Geneva talks faced underscores the importance of the role of the AU ad hoc Committee of Heads of State and Government on Sudan and the imperative for its activation. It would therefore be of particular interest for the PSC to be updated on the next steps towards the activation of the Committee for leveraging the voice and diplomatic weight of AU members from the five regions of the continent towards peace in Sudan.
As the PSC pointed out in its 1218th session, the proliferation of various mediation initiatives to resolve the Sudanese conflict has been an ongoing issue in the Sudanese peace process underscoring the need to ensure the necessary coordination and harmonisation of efforts. On 27 May 2023, the PSC adopted its roadmap for the resolution of the conflict in Sudan which, among other things, outlined the need for the establishment of a coordination mechanism to ensure all efforts by the regional and global actors are harmonised and impactful. In this regard, the importance of a single, inclusive, and consolidated peace process for Sudan, coordinated under the joint auspices of the AU, IGAD, League of Arab States, and UN, along with like-minded partners was emphasised. The AU Commission Chairperson established the expanded mechanism on Sudan and its Core Group as an inclusive platform for regional, continental, and global actors and institutions to ensure broad-based, coordinated engagement aimed at fostering political consensus and unified global support for Sudan. However, the lack of periodicity and shared plan as well as a common strategy that anchors it, the role and effectiveness of the expanded mechanism are surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty.
On 12 June, the League of Arab States convened a consultative group meeting in Cairo to facilitate an exchange of views among the various stakeholders engaged in the Sudanese peace process and draw lessons from different peace initiatives, good offices, and mediation efforts. On 24 July, Djibouti hosted the second consultative group meeting which was followed by the Mediators Planning Retreat on Sudan on 25 and 26 July. The retreat, which was proposed by Ramtane Lamamra, emphasised the need for a more coordinated and collaborative multilateral approach to move toward ending the Sudanese conflict. It also stressed the shared and differentiated responsibilities of existing multilateral coordination mechanisms and the recognition of their continued role and comparative advantages.
The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué. The PSC is expected to commend the High-Level Panel for the convening of the preparatory meetings towards the holding of the inter-Sudanese political dialogue. It may underscore the need for sustaining the momentum by investing in consultations to achieve consensus on the key elements of the convening of the political dialogue and mobilise wider support and engagement by all Sudanese civilian and political actors. It may request that the necessary technical backstopping for the effective conduct of the political dialogue including the development of the mediation process and strategy for the dialogue are put in place. The PSC may take note of the mediation initiatives deployed by various stakeholders, commend these efforts and urge for their fortified coordination and harmonisation to enhance their impact. In light of recent events, the Council may welcome the announcement of the opening up of borders to allow for humanitarian access. It may also reiterate the need for enhanced coordination and to this end may call for the revitalisation of the expanded mechanism. The PSC may request that the ad hoc committee of heads of state and government be activated to harness its political weight to address the lack of progress in talks between the warring parties. The PSC is also expected to express grave concern over the continuingly deteriorating humanitarian situation and urge the conflicting parties and all relevant actors to prioritise addressing the pressing humanitarian needs, including mainly through securing and enabling humanitarian access to affected populations for containing the famine that was declared in Darfur and preventing the emergence of famine in other areas.
