Provisional Program of Work for the Month of November 2020

Automatic Heading TextDate | November 2020

In November 2020, Ethiopia will assume the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). The provisional programme of work as prepared under the leadership of Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the AU Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma, envisages a total of seven sessions, including three focusing on country/region specific agendas.

The first session of the month scheduled to take place virtually on 3 November will be focusing on the situation in Libya. The session is expected to look at the developments in the situation since the last time the PSC met on Libya on 27 September at its 833^rd session. Most recent developments including the signing of a UN initiated Permanent Ceasefire Agreement on 23 October 2020 are also expected to feature.

The second session of the month is expected to be a briefing by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) scheduled to take place on November 5. It is to be recalled that at its last session on the APRM, which took place on 5 March 2020 at Council’s 914^th meeting, the PSC decided to convene twice a year to receive briefings from the APRM. Therefore, November’s session will be the second APRM briefing of 2020, in line with PSC’s decision. The upcoming session is expected to follow up on items identified in the previous session. The session will be taking place through VTC.

On 9 November, the PSC will consider and adopt its programme of work for the month of December, which will be circulated via email to all PSC Member States, for their comments and feedback.

On 12 November, PSC’s session dedicated to the theme “Youth, Peace and Security” is expected to take place. The session is expected to be an open session, to be conducted through VTC. In line with AU’s theme for the year 2020, the specific focus of the session will be on “advancing youth roles and capacities for silencing the guns in Africa”. This is expected to take stock of the activities undertaken within the framework of the Youth, Peace and Security including in respect to advocacy and mobilization of the youth on the theme of the year.

The following week, the PSC is expected to convene a session on 17 November, to discuss the status of implementation of the “AU Master Roadmap for Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by Year 2020” and the “AU Theme of the Year 2020: Silencing the Guns in Africa – Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”. The session may provide an overview of the theme of the year and it may also reflect on the revision of the Master Roadmap, as 2020 is coming to an end. It is also to be recalled that preparations are underway for the convening of an extraordinary summit dedicated to the theme of the year in December. The session will take place through VTC.

On 19 November, PSC is expected to have a VTC session on the protection of children in conflict situations in Africa. The session is expected to address the vulnerability of children in conflict affected African States also in relation to the COVID-19 related exacerbating factors.

The PSC is also expected to receive a virtual briefing session on the situation in Abyei on 24 November. This session is expected to explore the impact of the political changes in Sudan and South Sudan on Abyei area and on the critical role of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The last PSC session of the month is expected to take place on 26 November. The session will be dedicated to a discussion on the situation in the Horn of Africa, with a specific focus on how to best support the transitions in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. The session is expected to shed light on the positive developments in the countries and on mechanisms to further strengthen ongoing efforts to consolidate stability and development. This session too will be conducted through VTC.

In addition to these agenda items, the provisional program of work indicates in footnotes possible meeting to consider the Special Report of the Chairperson of the Commission and the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the UNAMID and follow-on presence.