Tomorrow (24 October), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) is expected to convene for its 1307^th session to receive a briefing from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on its activities and the humanitarian situation in Africa.

Following opening remarks by Tebelelo Boang, Permanent Representative of Botswana to the AU and the Chairperson of the PSC for October 2025, Bankole Adeoye, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), is expected to deliver a statement. Dr Gilles Carbonnier, ICRC Vice-President, is expected to brief the Council. Ambassador Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, and Ambassador Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of Cameroon to the AU, are also expected to make statements.

Tomorrow’s briefing is expected to present an update on current trends in the humanitarian situation across the continent. The discussion will include country-specific assessments, with a particular focus on Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia and the Sahel. In addition to highlighting major ongoing crises, the session will examine the underlying factors and dynamics driving the worsening conditions. It will also provide an opportunity to spotlight the key challenges hindering effective humanitarian action and the sustainable resolution of these crises.

The last time the ICRC briefed the PSC was at the PSC’s 1239^th meeting held on 29 October 2024, in which, among other decisions, reiterated the request for the AU Commission, ‘in consultation with the UN humanitarian Agencies and other key partners, to redouble resource mobilization efforts, in order to ensure the provision of adequate and flexible funding for humanitarian action in Africa, as well as for the AU Commission to undertake a comprehensive study, identifying the financial shortfalls and make concrete and practicable proposals on how to address the financial challenges for meeting Africa’s humanitarian needs.’

In Sudan, as of early September 2025, a devastating landslide in Tarasin, located in the Marrah Mountains of Central Darfur, reportedly claimed over 1000 lives, with a Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) official reporting on 4 September that 370 bodies had been recovered and buried. The region is grappling with compounded crises, as famine grips areas like El-Fasher and the nearby Zamzam displacement camp, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have trapped approximately 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children. The World Food Programme highlighted the dire situation, noting that 24.6 million people—about half of Sudan’s population—are facing acute food shortages, with 637,000 enduring catastrophic levels of hunger. Compounding the crisis, the ICRC, in mid-September 2025, reported that Sudan is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in years, driven by war-ravaged infrastructure, with over 5000 cases of malaria, typhoid and dengue fever, alongside dozens of deaths, reported in one area of the capital in the past month. Meanwhile, the desperation to flee the conflict has led to further tragedy, with at least 50 Sudanese refugees perishing after their vessel caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea.

In South Sudan, a rapidly shifting political landscape and worsening humanitarian crises are creating an alarming situation. According to UNOCHA, as of September 2025, severe challenges – including flooding, food insecurity, violence and disease outbreaks – continue to devastate communities. Floods have affected over 639,000 people across 26 counties in six states, with Jonglei and Unity hit hardest. Meanwhile, ongoing conflict in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria has driven mass displacement, with 497,000 people newly displaced between January and September 2025 – 321,000 due to conflict and 175,000 due to flooding. Recent clashes in Western Equatoria alone displaced tens of thousands, including nearly 21,000 from Nagero County to nearby villages. Compounding these challenges, multiple disease outbreaks, such as cholera (93,200 cases, 1565 deaths across 55 counties), anthrax, hepatitis E and mpox, continue to strain communities.

DRC, on the other hand, is grappling with a complex humanitarian crisis driven by conflict and natural disasters, resulting in widespread internal displacement. According to a recent IOM report, approximately 4.9 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were recorded in the DRC as of September 2025, a 2% decrease since August. Conflict, particularly in eastern provinces like North Kivu, accounts for 85% of displacements, with the advance of the M23 armed group in early 2025 triggering new and repeated displacements in existing camps. Natural disasters, such as flooding, contribute to the remaining 15%. Meanwhile, repatriation efforts are showing progress, with 5.2 million IDP returnees recorded, representing a 4% increase since August 2025. Beyond displacement, conflict and disasters in regions like South Kivu and Ituri continue to exacerbate the crisis, driving UNHCR’s estimate that 27 million people will need humanitarian assistance in 2025.

In the Sahel region, escalating violence, armed conflict and climate shocks have intensified a humanitarian crisis, displacing millions and devastating livelihoods. According to UNOCHA’s September 2025 Humanitarian Overview, 31.3 million people urgently need aid and protection in 2025. The region hosts 5.7 million IDPs and 2.4 million refugees. However, funding shortages – with only 18% of the required $4.9 billion secured – have forced humanitarian organisations to prioritise support for 10.4 million of the most vulnerable, down from 20.6 million previously targeted. Aggravating the situation, a cholera outbreak is spreading across West and Central Africa, with over 1,600 cases and 52 deaths reported in Nigeria. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Mauritania remain at high risk.

In Somalia’s northern and eastern regions, severe drought due to poor rainfall from April to June has worsened food insecurity, water scarcity and pasture shortages, driving increased pastoralist migration, according to UN agencies and local authorities. Compounding this crisis, nearly 142,000 people – 81% in the Banadir region – have been evicted from temporary shelters since January 2025, severely disrupting community stability. Further escalating concerns, a diphtheria outbreak threatens children, with the Federal Ministry of Health reporting 2,109 suspected cases and 99 deaths (a 5 % case fatality ratio) across 10 health facilities between January and August 2025. Most cases involve unvaccinated individuals over five years old, with infections surging fourfold compared to 2024.

Of importance to tomorrow’s deliberations will also be the humanitarian impact of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA). The discussion is expected to address critical concerns regarding the means and methods of warfare, both new and longstanding. Despite decades of progress and growing consensus on the need to universalise humanitarian disarmament treaties to minimise civilian casualties and the human cost of conflict, there remains a significant risk of regression. Recent developments concerning the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) are particularly concerning, with some States considering withdrawal, which could undermine years of hard-won achievements. It is worth recalling that the PSC, in April 2025, held its 1271^st session dedicated to the theme of Mine Action, in which it reiterated its call ‘for the establishment of a continental mechanism for mine action…’ This also saw the AU Commission being tasked ‘to continue sensitizing Member States in promoting a better understanding of the humanitarian impacts of explosive weapons, including landmines and cluster munitions in populated areas, as well as the importance of EWIPA Political Declaration and the policy and practical changes it seeks to generate,’ and in this context, encouraged Member States that have not yet done so, to endorse the EWIPA Political Declaration.

Relatedly, the humanitarian impact of digital technologies in armed conflict cannot go unmentioned. The rise of autonomous weapons, AI, surveillance systems and combat drones in African conflicts is transforming warfare. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) applies to these technologies, setting limits to protect civilians and infrastructure from harm, including digital threats. Understanding their legal, ethical and humanitarian implications is critical for action.

Finally, it is worth noting that the ICRC recently launched the Global IHL Initiative in collaboration with six other states – including Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa – to ‘galvanise political commitment to IHL.’ With South Africa notably leading as a co-founder, the initiative prioritises IHL politically, develops actionable recommendations across seven workstreams – co-chaired by African states including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – and adapts IHL to modern warfare’s rapid evolution. Several African Member States have joined, with hopes that more will participate with the Council’s support, culminating in a High-Level Meeting in 2025 to promote humanity in conflict.

The expected outcome of the session is a communiqué. The PSC may express concern over the escalating humanitarian crises across Africa, particularly highlighting the combined impact of armed conflicts, violent extremism, climate-driven extreme weather and epidemics. Council may condemn attacks by conflict parties on humanitarian workers, medical facilities, civilians and civilian infrastructure. Council may also highlight the imperative of the establishment, protection and expansion of the necessary humanitarian space, especially in the countries affected by conflict, which extends to the protection of critical infrastructure. Council is also expected to highlight the critical importance of ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict to address escalating crises. The PSC may call upon parties to conflicts to implement practical measures to ensure civilian protection and unimpeded humanitarian access, including the protection of and access to schools and other learning institutions.