For the month of July 2019, Togo will assume the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). The provisional program of work of the PSC for the month envisages some six sessions including three preparatory meetings and two open sessions. During the month there is also a planned PSC mission to the Gambia. Other than those indicated in the footnotes, the provisional program provides for one country/regional situation during the month.

Given the ongoing AU-RECs coordination meeting taking place in Niamey, in the first two weeks of the months there are no planned sessions. The PSC is scheduled to hold its first session of the month on 16 July on the state of implementation of the decisions of the Lomé Summit on Maritime Security and Safety held on 15 October 2016. Among others, this will look into the development of Annexes to the African Charter on Maritime Security, Safety and Development in Africa. It is to be recalled that the last PSC session on maritime security and peace and security took place in March.

The following day on 17 July, the PSC will hold the first open session of the month on the protection of civilians against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The PSC held its last session on protection of civilians at its 755th session.

On 18 July the PSC is expected to deliberate on two agenda items. First it will consider the Mapping Study on Illicit Arms Flows in Africa prepared by the Commission. It is worth noting that this is one of the major priority areas identified as part of the AU Master Roadmap for Silencing the Guns. In the second agenda item, the PSC is expected to receive the monthly briefing on the harmonization of the ACIRC into the ASF Framework.

On 22 July, the PSC is scheduled to have four agenda items. These include three preparatory meetings: for the Mission to The Gambia, for the Joint AU PSC-UNSC and AU PSC-EU meetings. The fourth and substantive agenda item of the session involves consideration of the state of the AU Liaison Office in Liberia.

The second open session of the month is scheduled to take place on 23 July on sexual violence in armed conflicts in Africa. On July 25 the PSC will hold the last session for the month of July and will consider two agenda items: the situation in Mali and the Sahel and preparatory meeting on its mission to the Gambia.

From 29-31 July the PSC is scheduled to undertake a field mission to the Gambia. The PSC reviewed the situation in The Gambia at its 844th session when another West African member state, Nigeria, was chairing the PSC. In addition to these agenda items, the provisional program of month also envisions in footnotes additional items that may be added in the course of the month. These include update on two country situations in Sudan and DRC.

Additionally, the Committee of Experts and Military Staff Committee may also convene their meetings.