Remark for giving thanks on the 5th anniversary of Amani Africa's launch of its flagship project
Remark for giving thanks on the 5th anniversary of Amani Africa's launch of its flagship project
Date | 13 April 2023
Dr Solomon Ayele Dersso, Founding Director
It was on 9 April 2018 that Amani Africa launched its flagship work, Insights on the Peace and Security Council. Last Sunday marked five years since that landmark launching of this work, that has become in the years since the launch the leading source of information and analysis on the African Union Peace and Security Council and its work. What we have accomplished during the five years is nothing shirt of transformative given how Amani Africa’s work completely changed the landscape of knowledge and access to information on the work of African Union’s most powerful body on governance and peace and security. For this, not only that each and everyone of you here and many others working on peace and security issues on Africa are major contributors to and witness of this development.
While we in Amani Africa are proud of this achievement accomplished with limited capacity and resources, we believe that this is an important development for bolstering what I call the continental policy ecosystem that has been taking shape over the years. A couple of years ago Tatiana Carayannis, a friend, and Thomas G Weiss wrote an insightful book titled The ‘Third’ United Nations: How Knowledge Ecology helps the UN Think which is instructive to illustrate this point.
This is a book about the highly critical, if underappreciated, contribution of non-state actors including think tanks, scholars, NGOs, opinion makers, the media and development, human rights and peace and security experts to the UN’s policy making and normative development. As I think of our continental organisation the African Union and the work of Amani Africa in the past half a decade, it is clear that Amani Africa forms part of and contributes to the growing ‘knowledge ecology’ that has been forming around the AU, thereby constituting the continental policy ecosystem that I made reference to above.
If there is one development that clearly embodies and illuminates the growth and importance of this knowledge ecology, it is Amani Africa, which in a short period of time carved out a critical and hugely useful space for policy thinking and policy relevant knowledge production on the African Union and its policy making and policy action. We at Amani Africa are grateful to the fact that you all have been a witness to and stakeholders of this remarkable fiat.
The importance of this ‘knowledge ecology’, of which Amani Africa forms a part, is illustrated by Article 20 of the PSC Protocol and the 2009 AU’s Sirt summit declaration. Most recently, the increasing significance this ‘knowledge ecology’ continues to attract is concretely expressed by the steps taken by the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS), Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, on the establishment of the Network of Think Tanks for Peace, for which Amani Africa played a key part. This is further demonstrated by the institutionalisation of the close working relationship and periodic consultation and exchanges between AU facing CSOs and PAPS with the convening of the 2nd consultation at the AU Commission only the other week.
Today’s celebration of the 5th year anniversary of launch of Amani Africa’s flagship project is thus a celebration of these key developments towards the recognition and institutionalisation of this knowledge ecology around the AU, for which we wish to extend our appreciation to Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as we give recognition to AU PAPS as part of today’s celebration not only for the collaboration with Amani Africa but also for his leadership that led to these two key milestones.
Excellencies Ambassadors, distinguished friends and members of the community that raised Amani Africa
Amani Africa is a result of a very simple idea – the idea that the pursuit of the progressive objectives, policies and norms of the African Union cannot be fully realized without the injection into it and being anchored on ideas and evidence based knowledge. These are the ideas and knowledge that present practical solutions and policy options to the issues that policy makers face and are seized with as they engage in policy action in pursuit of these AU objectives, policies and norms for achieving a more peaceful, integrated and prosperous continent. It is the production of such ideas and knowledge and importantly the linking of such ideas and knowledge with policy making and policy action by the AU and AU policy stakeholders that Amani Africa is dedicated to and has been robustly advancing for the past five years.
Like any venture, the founding of Amani Africa and the launching of our flagship project have not been easy. It involved a great deal of sweat and intellectual tenacity. As the entire Amani Africa team and many of you could attest, it has been a challenging exercise in perseverance, discipline, and a belief not only in one’s conviction but also importantly in the Pan-African philosophy, Ubuntu – I am because you are. All that Amani Africa has become and achieved, it is because of you – the you who are here today in this hall and the many you who are not in person with us today.
So today is not really about patting ourselves on the shoulder, it is rather about celebrating each of you who make up the community that raised Amani Africa for there can be no Amani Africa without the role you all played as part of this community. That is why my address is framed as remark for giving thanks rather than one that outlines the many accomplishments of Amani Africa in marking this milestone.
So as I extend the gratitude of the Amani Africa team, I ask for your forgiveness for not being able to name each and everyone of you and also for us not being able to give recognition to you all today in appreciation of your contribution for what Amani Africa has become and your continuing role to what Amani Africa has as yet to become in the service of Africa’s peace and the dignity of its peoples. Yet, it would also be remise of me if I don’t on this occasion, name by way of example some of the individuals and people who played key role to the birth and growth of Amani Africa in various ways, particularly when Amani Africa was at its infancy.
I wish to start with my wife and daughter. My daughter, Bethel Solomon Ayele, who just turned 18, has from very young age challenged me on the value of my work for Africa. While she now has come to tell me how proud she is for the success Amani Africa accomplished, she remains sceptical that my work and the efforts of many of in this field is changing the course of peace and security events on our continent for the better – highlighting the daunting task we have on our hands for ensuring that we don’t pass to the new generation an Africa that continues to be shackled with conflicts & insecurity.
My beautiful wife and long-time friend Dr Emezat Hailu Mengesha was the first to champion the idea of the establishment of Amani Africa. Not only that she stood by me as I start working on the founding of Amani Africa but also contributed materially to it.
Amani Africa has a long genesis and many friends and colleagues have contributed to this genesis to whom I am very grateful. Of particular note in this respect are Dr George Mukundi, a brother, a friend and former colleague here at the AU Commission, Mr Brian Kagoro an erudite pan-Africanist who mentored and continues to inspire myself and many like me, Donald Deya of Pan-African Lawyers Union and Professor Khabele Matlosa , former Director of Political Affairs Department at the AU Commission, all of whom over a dinner table in my house years before Amani Africa was born planted the idea of the establishment of a pan-African institutions in Addis Ababa servicing policy making of the AU for promoting implementation of its progressive objectives and norms.
Once the idea of establishing Amani Africa became concrete, many friends, colleagues and supporters of the idea lent a helping hand in various ways and these include my great friend Daniel Yilma, who previously served at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ethiopian Mission in New York and now works at the UN Secretariat in New York, Dr Tedros Adhanom, Shimels Abdisa, Hallelujah Lule and now my great friend and previously a great contributor to the establishment of Amani Africa by providing seed funding, Andrea Semadeni, formerly Ambassador of Switzerland in Addis Ababa and currently Swiss Ambassador in Senegal, Dakar and Oliver Humbel, formerly in the Swiss Mission in Addis Ababa and now in the mission in NY. I am grateful for all their support at that founding stage of Amani Africa, when Amani was not more than an idea.
I also wish to thank all those who supported the launch of our flagship work – Insights on the PSC, including Jean-Marc of Swiss Embassy with whom we signed the first funding contract that supported this flagship work. My thanks also goes to the many friends and supporters in the AU Commission and in member states who encouraged and provided support by being part of Amani Africa’s journey through feedback and information sharing – Ambassador Catherine Mwangi of Kenya (who graced the launch of Insights on the PSC with her presence and was the first to visit us at our office & have until her departure at the end of her tour of duty worked with us including on the development of PSC’s COVID-19 working methods), Ambassador Ndumiso of South Africa, who like Ambassador Catherine was present as PSC member at the launch of Insights on the PSC and told me on that occasion that I was conservative in telling the range of contributions I have made in various capacities to make me well placed to initiate this work.
I also thank
Elghassim Wane, former Director of Peace and Security at the AU Commission and chief of staff of the AU Commission Chairperson and current Head of UN Mission in Mali, one of the best peace and security policy experts, a generous senior brother who has been a great champion of Amani Africa
Ambassador Basso Sangqu, former South African Ambassador in Addis Ababa and New York, who during his tenure as Chief Advisor to former AU Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and ever since has stood by and supported Amani Africa
Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, who was among the first members of the PSC to welcome to Nigeria Embassy and engage Amani Africa before our outreach and substantive policy consultations with member states of the PSC became institutionalized and who since becoming Commissioner has become a major champion of our work and support Amani Africa’s close working relationship with PAPS and former Djibouti Ambassador and long-time member of the PSC, Ambassador Idriss Farah who is a great friend and champion of Amani Africa.
Members of the PSC, past and present as a whole and those we recognize today and present here and those who are not with us including Ambassador Edward Makaya of South Africa, Ambassador Mafa Sejanamane of Lesotho, Ambassador Amma of Ghana and Ambassador Jainaba Jagne of The Gambia and Ambassador Innocent Shiyo of Tanzania!
My sister and great friend Neema Chusi, one of the most hardworking colleagues in AU, to whom I would like to shout out for being recently appointed as Head of the PSC Secretariat after acting on that position for past years, and who supported us through constant advise on where we should improve and how
My senior brother from Senegal Amadou Diongue, an example of professional discipline and some one with incredible infectious passion for pan-Africanism, who was the Acting Head of the PSC Secretariat
Dr Ardemore Kambudzi, former head of the PSC Secretariat and Director of the Department of Peace and Security
My sister and great colleague Fiona Lortan, form3r acting head of Conflict Management Directorate at PAPS and Deputy SRCC of AMISOM/ATMIS
My other senior brother Dr Sajoh Bah, the current director of Conflict Management
Ambassador Fred Ngoga, Former acting head of Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Division, who have always been there at various key moments in the work of Amani Africa
Many other dear friends and colleagues with whom I worked for years including Simon Badza at the PSC Secretariat, Sivuyile Bam, Ambassador Salah Hamad and Ambassador Salvator Matata of COMESA.
Last and very important is the great Amani Africa team, past and present, who lift more weight than required by call of duty on a daily basis and our senior associates who support us variously in our work – this is also a moment for celebrating you and your work.
I also wish to thank those friends and colleagues from various embassies and governments who bet on the idea of Amani Africa by providing funding and by collaborating with us on specific projects, including
Switzerland, our founding partner and most consistent source of funding support for our works thank you like Germany (another founding partners) for the trust you put in Amani Africa when it was just an idea in a funding proposal & I believe that we have delivered on your trust and made you proud partner.
I also wish to thank the UK for joining founding partners by providing funding for a couple of years, enabling our further consolidation
Australia, USIP and Crisis Group for collaborating with us on specific projects.
Our gratitude goes to our current funding partners who, apart from our longstanding partner Switzerland, include Ireland, Norway, OSF and until early this year Finland.
We are also thankful for the institutional partnership we have with the UN Office to the AU (including former SRSG and Head of UNOAU Hannah Tetteh and current SRSG and Head of UNOAU Parfait Onanga) the ICRC (including its head and great friend Bruce Mokaya) with who we collaborated on specific activities
I also wish to thank Michelle Ndaye, former Head of Tana Forum Secretariat at IPSS and SRCC and Head of AU Office in DRC, for welcoming Amani Africa to the community of Think tankers and CSOs
Prof Tim Murithi, my former boss and Head of Program at the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends of Amani Africa
We don’t have the time to continue to list the contribution that each of you here and many others made and continue to make to Amani Africa’s journey in shaping, informing & catalysing policy action in pursuit of AU objectives.
We at Amani Africa cannot thank you enough!
I am because you are. Amani Africa is because you are.
Thank you for being part of the community that raised Amani Africa as the best expression of the saying in our African tradition that it takes a village to raise a child. Today, this anniversary is a celebration of you members of this community for each of you have contributed in various ways for what Amani Africa has become and represents and the contribution of this for expanding the ecology of knowledge supporting AU policy making and action in the service of Africa’s peace and the dignity of its peoples!
Amesegnalehu, Asante Sana, Shkuren, Kealeboga, Merci, Obrigado and thank you!
Happy anniversary to us all!
Cyber Security – Impact on Peace and Security in Africa
Cyber Security – Impact on Peace and Security in Africa
Date | 13 April 2023
Tomorrow (13 April), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is expected to convene its 1148th session to discuss the impacts of cyber threats to peace and security in Africa.
The session opens remarks by Abdelhamid Elgharbi, Permanent Representative of Tunisia and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of April followed by a statement of AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Bankole Adeoye. The AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL); the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA); the AU Department of Infrastructure and Energy; AU Office of the Legal Counsel and the United Nations (UN) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are also expected to participate in the session.
It was at its 850th session that the PSC, recognising the growing relevance of cyberspace in Africa and the importance of ensuring the safety and security of this space, decided to commit an annual meeting on cyber security. Although this decision hasn’t been regularly implemented, the PSC has dedicated various sessions to the theme, including the 1097th session which last addressed concerns related to cyber security in Africa. Among other critical points, the 1097th session drew attention to the need for enactment of necessary legislations and regulations at national, regional and continental levels to govern issues related to cyberspace. Tomorrow’s session serves to follow up on efforts being deployed to mainstream cybersecurity in all peace and security mechanisms of the AU, Regional Economic Community and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and member states.
This session is coming against the background of the major cyberattack against the AU cyber infrastructure. Early in March, the AU was forced to suspend various operations following a massive cyberattack on its data centre, compromising various IT assets and user devices. This attack has led to not only the disruption of the ordinary functioning of the AU but also the loss of data. As a clear illustration of the susceptibility of African infrastructure to cyberattacks and the enormous costs that such attacks occasion, it would be of interest for members of the PSC to seek information on the source of the attack, the scale of damage caused and the measures required for rebuilding and instituting protective measures to address the vulnerabilities in the AU system that were exploited for orchestrating the attack.
There is also anecdotal data that the extent of threats to the cyberspace in Africa is increasing. This is mostly on account of the weak cyber security arrangements. According to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)’s 2021 Africa Cyber Threat Assessment Report, over 90 percent of companies in Africa operate without the necessary cyber security protocols. Many African institutions and businesses have also come under cyberattack over recent years and continue to be susceptible to the perpetration of various cybercrimes.
The impacts of this are multifaceted. One of the many negative consequences of unprotected cyberspaces is that they result in considerable financial loss as well as data theft, including those related to intellectual property and protected business information. At a larger scale, such form of cyber threats manifest in the form of infrastructural sabotage affecting critical social and economic activities, including trade and commerce. Reports have indicated that in recent years, such form of sabotages have particularly been escalating in the continent, specifically targeting national banks and maritime infrastructures. Ultimately, this will have an adverse impact on Africa’s endeavours to advance economic development. As emphasised by the PSC at its 850th session, a secure cyberspace is a necessary precondition for ‘reaping the dividends of the digital transformation of Africa and the world and for promoting economic development throughout the Continent’.
Another and perhaps more grave consequence of weak cyber security practices in government and non-governmental institutions in Africa is the fertile ground it creates for anti-peace activities ranging from espionage, to organised crimes and the use of digital space for incitement of violence. With little to no measures put in place to secure the cyberspace, anti-peace entities including terrorist organisations will have ease not only in accessing sensitive data and classified government information, but also in diverting finances to fund their activities, plan their attacks as well as recruit and train others to join their network. It also opens the space and creates the opportunity for the spread of misinformation and incitement of violence, particularly in settings characterised by polarised political tension and dissent. Terrorist groups’ usage of cybercriminals to raise funds through cryptocurrencies and exploration of the dark web by human trafficking networks to lure in travellers through fake tour agency accounts are also among the cyber threats in Africa identified by AFRIPOL.
The imperative for a more robust cybersecurity in Africa will only continue to rise as the continent continues to expand its reliance and use of cyber operated technologies not only for socio-economic activities but also for security purposes as the expansion of the use of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as well as other artificial intelligence (AI) for enhancing military operations shows. As far as the use of such technologies, particularly what are known as autonomous weapons systems (which Africa is not in possession of), is concerned, Africa has the responsibility for promoting the development and strict enforcement of rules that ensure effective human control over and full responsibility of states for how such technologies are used as the surest means for averting not only breaches of human rights and international humanitarian law rules but also damages that may result from hacking of such technologies.
Africa’s internet and telecom market which has experienced a major boost in recent years is only expected to grow significantly in the near future to accommodate the demands of the continent’s massive population. While this creates great opportunities to advance Africa’s socio-economic and developmental aspirations, it also expands further the nature and extent of cyber threats expected to be experienced. If relevant strategies are not put in place well in advance to avert, manage and effectively respond to these threats, the continent may be facing complex peace and security challenges. According to the 2021 Global Cybersecurity Index, only 29 African countries have introduced cyber security legislation while the remaining majority are yet to adopt relevant rules and regulations to deal with this specific area of concern. This indicates the need for heightened awareness among member states of developments in Africa’s cyberspace and their commitment to take solid steps towards securing it, including through the adoption of relevant normative standards to regulate the safe and secure utilisation of cyberspace.
At the continental level, the AU has already adopted key legal instruments and frameworks relevant to the regulation of cyberspace and for ensuring cyber security in Africa, including the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention); the 2020-2030 Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa; the AU Data Policy Framework and the AU Interoperability Framework for Digital ID. In line with the decision of the Executive Council’s 32nd Ordinary Session [EX.CL/Dec.987(XXXII)], the AU has also established the Cyber Security Expert Group (AUCSEG) which is charged with providing advice to the AU Commission on matters related to cyber security. Few member states such as Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho and South Africa have also made commendable strides towards securing the cyberspace through the adoption of Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Acts. Despite these encouraging developments, the current efforts to respond to cyber threats are largely disproportional to the magnitude of the challenge in Africa.
The expected outcome of tomorrow’s session is a Communiqué. The PSC is expected to express grave concern over the recent cyberattack the AU experienced and commend AFRIPOL and other relevant AU organs for committing the necessary efforts to resolve the issue. It may emphasise that with growing digitalisation and socio-economic development come increasing cyber threats and as such, call on member states to mainstream cyber security throughout all of their digital endeavours. The PSC may take note of the increasing significance of the digital space for trade and commerce in Africa and call on all relevant stakeholders including member states and the private sector to protect transactions by investing on cyber security measures. It may stress the importance of establishing the normative framework for cyber security and urge member states to adopt the necessary legislation to regulate cyberspace in a manner compatible with human rights norms guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms. It may urge member states to ensure responsible use of emerging technologies in efforts aimed at enhancing military capabilities and to put in place the necessary cyber security measures to avert hacking and diversion of such technologies. It may also highlight the need to ensure implementation of existing continental legal frameworks for the protection of cyberspace including the Malabo Convention. It may further encourage RECs/RMs to contribute to cyber security efforts through enactment of relevant strategies for enhancing regional collaboration in taking action against cyber threats. The PSC may call on the AU Commission, AFRIPOL, CISSA working with relevant expert bodies to develop guidance for member states, RECs/RMs and AU institutions on identifying vulnerabilities for cyberattacks and instituting effective cybersecurity measures to avoid the kind of attacks the AU experienced recently.
