It is against this backdrop that the AU PSC held its first inaugural meeting on Africa Day of Peace and Reconciliation in 2023. Although the first PSC session on the Africa Day of Peace and Reconciliation was successful in establishing a platform that allowed experience sharing among member states who have undergone reconciliations, it did not take account of PSC’s previous engagements and the role that AU Transitional Justice Policy plays in that respect. The first inaugural session primarily focused on the experience-sharing component where member states such as Gambia, Rwanda, Burundi and South Africa provided their experience on the reconciliation process. The outcome also emphasizee several issues in the light of reconciliation including the need to focus on the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program for soldiers; the need for parties involved in any form of cessation of hostility agreement to be fully committed to the implementation of such agreements and lastly the need to strengthen AU mechanisms including PCRD frameworks and continental early warning systems.

As the PSC convenes its second Africa Day of Peace and Reconciliation, it is anticipated that the session will serve as a platform for receiving updates from Angola on its role of championing peace and reconciliation. In this respect, the PSC may hear about Angola’s efforts in relation to the conflict in Eastern DRC including the implementation of the outcome of the inaugural Quadripartite Summit which most recently convened at the level of Chiefs of Defence (CDFs) to enhance coordination and identify the division of labor regarding implementation of the outcomes.  It is also to be recalled that early in 2023 Angola also hosted a tripartite summit involving Chad and the Central African Republic. Although there aren’t any tangible outcomes from the tripartite summit, it is indeed an indication of the political will of both member states to address cross-border security issues amicably and identify areas of cooperation and coordination. The session may also focus on countries that have begun the process of undergoing transitional justice and reconciliation during the past year. Countries such as South Sudan and Ethiopia may be mentioned as they have both received support from the AU TJP unit throughout 2023 in the implementation of their own transitional justice and reconciliation processes.

The expected outcome will be a communiqué. The communiqué may welcome the institutionalization of the annual Africa Day of Peace and Reconciliation. It may also commend the efforts by the AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, for his efforts in the promotion of reconciliation and peace-building via the Biennale of Luanda Pan-African Forum. The PSC may also welcome member states that have undergone mediation, dialogue, and reconciliation processes. The PSC may urge countries undergoing the reconciliation process to ensure an inclusive process that takes into consideration vulnerable groups, particularly women, youth and community leaders and leaders of religious groups. The PSC may also reiterate the need to complement the ‘Africa Day of Peace and Reconciliation’ with a focus on the promotion of the implementation of the AU Transitional Justice Policy.