Tomorrow (06 April), the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1147^th session, which will be in-person open session on the theme ‘prevention of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa’.

Following opening remarks by Abdelhamid El Gharbi, Permanent Representative of Tunisia and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of April, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Bankole Adeoye, is expected to make a statement. Presentations are also expected by the representative of Rwanda, the Special Advisor of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, and the representative of the European Union (EU).

Tomorrow’s session is to be convened in line with the Communique of the PSC adopted at the 678^th session of April 2017, which decided to convene annually in April an open meeting on the prevention of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa. It forms part of the annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda that will be observed on 7 April in accordance with the AU Assembly Decision [Assembly/ AU / Dec.695] of 2 July 2018 as well as the Communique of the PSC adopted at its 761^st session. As noted in the concept note, the main objective of the annual session is for ‘the PSC, AU Member States and other key stakeholders to reflect and continuously devise means to collectively prevent the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa’.

Various decisions have been taken by the PSC since 2017 to effectively address the challenge of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa. These include: reinvigorating the early warning mechanism (836^th session); including an analysis on indicators of hate crime and risk factors for them to escalate to genocide in the Report of the PSC on its Activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa (836^th session); constructing AU Human Rights Memorial dedicated to victims of human rights violations in Africa (989^th session); appointing an AU Special Envoy on the Prevention of Hate Crimes and the Crime of Genocide (989^th session); developing a shared definition of what constitutes ‘hate speech’ and ‘hate crimes’ (1088^th session); undertaking a review of the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the Report of the OAU International Panel of Eminent Personalities on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide and the Surrounding Events by the Panel of the Wise (1088^th session); establishing an Annual African Forum on the prevention of ideology of hate, hate crimes and genocide (1088^th session); and creating an African Centre for the Study of Genocide (1088^th session). It would be important for the PSC to follow up on the status of the implementation of these decisions at tomorrow’s session. Among others, considering that 2024 marks 30 years since the occurrence of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, it would be of interest for members of the PSC to plan for a continental comprehensive stock taking exercise for reaffirming the commitment to never again as enshrined in Article 4 (h) of the Constitutive Act of the AU.

Experiences from the Rwanda and elsewhere in the world clearly highlight that genocide and other atrocity crimes do not occur as isolated event but are often results of sustained hate speech. Hate speech and hate propaganda were identified as catalysts of the genocidal violence in Rwanda. As noted in the concept note prepared for the session, in Rwanda, the ‘genocide ideology was propagated when political leaders using state machinery started branding a section of their own population – the Tutsi – as the ‘other’, ‘enemy of the State’, ‘cockroaches’ who were to be exterminated.’ Indeed, as highlighted in PSC’s 678^th session, deliberate tendencies of discrimination, marginalization, tribalism and manipulation of ethnicity often create conducive conditions for hate crimes and ideologies of genocide to thrive.

The nature of hate speech has evolved in complexity as a result of the digital turn, particularly with the widespread use of social media that has dramatically changed the ‘pace and reach of its spread’. This was noted by the PSC on several occasions including at its 836^th session, which expressed its ‘deep concern’ over the negative use of social media that contributes to amplify hate speech, hate crimes, and ideology of genocide. Despite that these platforms claim to have invested in safety and security measures including building their capacity to catch hateful and inflammatory content, reports are raising the alarm over the use of social media by different actors to stoke violence particularly in a fragile context.

Countering the rising tide of hate speech and the attendant consequences requires taking effective preventive and mitigation strategies. It is important that Member States put in place the necessary legal framework to punish hate speeches and hate crimes, but this should also strike the right balance with the fundamental human right to freedom of expression. While there is a need to regulate online content, governments also should not fall into the common tactic of internet/social media shutdown as this kind of measure undermines range of human rights, including the right to freedom of speech. Instead, spreading counter-speech that disseminates accurate information and that fosters unity and tolerance is regarded as the proper response to ensure that hate is not the dominant narrative. In addition to these, tomorrow’s session is expected to emphasize on the need to develop comprehensive strategies that focused not only on mitigation measures, but also on prevention to address the scourge in a more sustainable way.

First and foremost, there is a need to address root causes and drivers of ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes. Socio-economic and political marginalization, competing aspirations, and contested historical narratives often sow the seeds of mistrust and fear among different groups, which leads to polarization and tension. Accordingly, building credible state institutions, fostering peaceful and inclusive societies including through national dialogue, deepening democracy and participatory as well as inclusive governance, and ensuring equitable and inclusive socio-economic developments could be highlighted as important steps in addressing the underlying causes and drivers of hate.

Second and related to the first is the imperative of leveraging education, both in formal and non-formal settings, as a tool for addressing all forms of intolerance, discrimination and hate while simultaneously building a generation that embrace cultural diversity and promote peaceful coexistence.

Third, there is also a need to enhance prevention strategies at all levels (national, regional, and continental) through early warning system that would enable us to detect early signs of genocide and other atrocity crimes. Equally important is translating the early signs into early response, although denialism and a very restrictive interpretation of the principle of sovereignty by Member States have proved to be a challenge in that regard.

Fourth and importantly, there is a need for the establishment of an inclusive system of governance that is representative of all sectors of society and their interests. More often than not, the sense of alienation, exclusion and discrimination in a context of power contestations is what creates the setting for the emergence of identity-based antagonism, precipitating hate speech and incitement of violence. It is of paramount importance that the conditions of bad governance and lack of inclusiveness is also addressed.

The expected outcome of the session is likely to be a communique. As in the previous sessions, PSC may express its concern over the persistent trend of the ideologies of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa, and in that regard, it may highlight the importance of developing comprehensive strategies to counter the ideologies of hate, genocide, and hate crimes. It may condemn in the strongest terms denialism and revisionism of the genocide against Tutsi as this threatens the perpetuation and manifestations of hate speech and crimes. As part of the effort to counter hate speech and crimes, PSC may highlight different measures, including encouraging Member States to establish/strengthen their legal framework to combat the scourge and meet their international obligations, as well as ratify/accede to relevant international legal instruments notably the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. While stressing the importance of the responsible use of the media, and in particular the social media, PSC may also remind Member States about the need to ensure that measures to combat hate speech and hate crimes do not violate accepted principles and standards of human rights. In relation to enhancing the prevention strategies, PSC may reiterate the need for addressing structural causes and drivers of hate speech and hate crimes including through credible national dialogue, education, and other national initiatives to entrench the culture of peaceful coexistence and democracy, and foster national unity and reconciliation. It is also expected to re-emphasize the importance of enhancing AU’s early warning mechanism to detect early warning signs and take early response before hate speech and crimes degenerate into violent conflicts and genocide. Furthermore, considering the various decisions of the PSC that have been taken since 2017 to effectively address the scourge of hate speech and hate crimes and considering that 2024 marks the 30 years commemoration of the 1994 genocide, PSC may request the AU Commission to plan a high-level and comprehensive stocktaking on progress made and challenges faced in implementing never again.

Tomorrow (7 June) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 1088^th session on the theme ‘prevention of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa’. The session is to be convened in line with the Communiqué of the 678^th session of the PSC that decided to convene annually an open meeting on hate crimes.

The PSC Chairperson for the month Permanent Representative of the Republic of Congo, Daniel Owassa, is expected to deliver opening remarks followed by a statement from the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye. Presentations will also be delivered by the Representative of the Republic of Rwanda.

Tomorrow’s session forms part of the annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi’s in Rwanda, which was observed on 7 April in accordance with AU Assembly Decision Assembly/ AU / Dec.695 of 2 July 2018. The PSC designated the theme of the session for remembering both the lives lost and the destruction caused in Rwanda on the one hand and the lessons learned from the genocide on the other hand. It thus serves as an occasion both to pay tribute to the women and men as well as children brutally massacred during the genocide and express solidarity with the survivors of the genocide and renew AU’s and its member states responsibilities to renew its commitment to the lessons from the genocide for addressing contemporary challenges.

As widely documented including through the Organization of African Unity (OAU) International Panel of Imminent Personalities to Investigate the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda and Surrounding Events, ethnic based incitement of hate, particularly through the instrumentality of the media, was one of the drivers of the genocide against the Tutsis. Hate crimes and genocide are known to occur, not as isolated events, but rather as a result of sustained campaigns of hatred and violent incitement which develop and strengthen over a period of time. Indeed, the perpetration of ethnic violence does not start with the physical attacks against members of the target ethnic group. It starts with propagation of hate, the production and circulation of narratives having the effect of rendering members of target ethnic groups objects of both hate and dehumanization.

The impact of new communication technology and social media is another area of interest for the PSC, particularly in terms of their role in the propagation of fake news, hate speech and incitement of violence and the impact thereof. Both the speed of dissemination/circulation harmful content and the role of social media in magnifying extreme views have made incitement of hate more dangerous not only in hardening social polarization but also in inflaming tensions.

There is increasing concern that new communication technology and social media platforms have also proven to negatively impact peace and security, mainly by serving as a platform for incitement of violence and exacerbation of hate speech, including for mobilizing and recruitment by terrorist groups. The key issue arises here is promoting responsible use of social media platforms, ensuring that the companies owning the platforms institute inbuilt mechanisms both for limiting the use of the platforms for propagation of hate and incitement of violence and for encouraging content that promotes harmony, social cohesion and civil discourse.

Council may reflect on ways in which the traditional and social media space can be used for advancing the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts and for promoting respect for democratic norms and international human rights and international humanitarian principles.  Central to the prevention of incitement of ethnic hatred and genocide is to find ways of facilitating both responsible use and inhibit the abuse of such platforms for causing harm on other people. This requires various non-legal measures including the critical role of civil society, the media, community leaders and public intellectuals in the promotion of a culture of peace and ethno-cultural and religious tolerance. Of equal importance is also the role of education, including but not limited to, civic education in nurturing civil discourse. The vital role of youth and women in this regard is of particular importance. These non-legal policy measures can be supplemented as secondary and last resort instruments by the promulgation and enactment of the necessary legal frameworks on the prevention of hate speech, hate crimes and genocide. Accordingly, Council may urge Member States to sign, ratify, domesticate and implement relevant international legal instruments on hate crimes and genocide, as well as ensure proper prosecution of perpetrators of such atrocious crimes in line with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Additionally, as the PSC repeatedly highlighted at its previous sessions on the theme, combating impunity of genocide perpetrators and denialism is an essential part of seeking sustainable peace, justice, truth and reconciliation. This requires strengthened cooperation and coordination among Member States to prosecute or extradite suspected fugitives. Just as important is fighting against denial and revisionism of the genocide against the Tutsi which deprives healing and justice to victims/survivors, and prevents a successful process of reconciliation from taking place.

This year’s commemoration and tomorrow’s session comes in a context of some worrying developments in the Great Lakes Region. The social media space in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is awash with inflammatory narratives and speeches that incite hate against particular ethnic groups. Given existing tensions and mistrust among communities in the region, there are concerns that such incitement of ethnic hate would further inflame tensions. The Special envoy of the UN Secretary-General during his visit to the region expressed the firm stance of the UN against hate speech which cannot be justified against anyone, anywhere and anytime. What compounds the situation further is the diplomatic raw and trading of accusations between the DRC and Rwanda in the context of the resurfacing of the M23 armed rebel group and its fighting with the DRC army, FARDC that uprooted tens of thousands of civilians from their homes. While DRC accused Rwanda of supporting the M23, Rwanda accused FARDC of ‘kidnapping two members of Rwandan armed forces from the border with DRC’ and collaborating with Democratic Force for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) Rwandan Hutu armed group operating in Congo, some of whose members took part in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and had attacked Rwandan forces.

It is thus of immediate concern for the PSC that steps for both disrupting the dangerous rhetoric and narratives inciting hate and violence against particular groups and for initiation of steps for de-escalation of the raw between Rwanda and DRC. The PSC may also welcome the initiative of Senegal’s President, who chairs the AU, and Angola’s President, who chairs the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), to facilitate dialogue between the leaders of the two countries.

It is to be recalled that the 1994 genocide was made possible by, among others, the failures of African and international actors to take preventive measures before the mass violence started or to stop it once it has started. As the Panel of Eminent Personalities concluded that ‘If there is anything worse than the genocide itself, it is the knowledge that it did not have to happen. The simple, harsh, truth is that the genocide was not inevitable; and that it would have been relatively easy to stop it from happening prior to April 6, 1994, and then to mitigate the destruction significantly once it began.’ Despite the move away from the dogmatic application of non-interference to the norm of non-indifference as enshrined in Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act as part of the transition from the OAU to the AU, as recent events from some of the recent major conflict situations in Africa show, the continental body is experiencing a reversal of the principle of non-indifference envisaged under Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act as the politics of indifference in the face of grave circumstances takes hold in the continent’s peace and security diplomacy. The AU Commission Chairperson pointed out in his opening address to the 35^th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly that ‘a restrictive, even dogmatic reading of the intangible principle of the sovereignty of the Member States raises an iron wall against any intervention by the continental organization, either as a preventive measure through early warning, or as a remedy when the crisis breaks out.’ This defense of sovereignty has come to render the AU’s commitment to non-indifference as encapsulated in Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act hallow, by serving, as the Chairperson aptly put it, as ‘a protective shield against all sorts of abuses occurring in a member country.’

The expected outcome of the session, if previous sessions are any guide, is expected to be a press statement. The PSC may welcome the progress that Rwanda registered in the reconstruction of the country and consolidating stability and development. It may reject denialism and revisionism of the genocide against the Tutsi, which not only denigrate the memory of the dead and the suffering of survivors but also undermines the effort to prevent its recurrence. The PSC may reiterate the need to reinvigorate the early warning mechanism as a preventative tool to enable an early response before hate speech and crimes degenerate into violent conflicts and genocide. It may also emphasize the importance of responsible use of the media in general and social media platforms in particular and of promoting civic education, particularly among the youth, dialogue and the culture of peace, national reconciliation and healing, as well as prevention of hate crimes and genocide. The PSC may also express concern about recent trends in the ethnic-based propagation of hate targeting particular groups and the resurgence of tension in eastern DRC. It may accordingly condemn the abuse of social media platforms for engaging in such propagation of hate. The PSC may also condemn in the strongest terms the hostile acts of the M23, including its attacks against UN peacekeepers and urge that full implementation of the decision of the Nairobi summit for addressing the threat of armed rebel groups. The PSC may express concern about recent trends of the use of the defence of sovereignty by states to block the exercise by the AU of its role in supporting the effort to prevent and stop the occurrence of identity-based atrocities in accordance with the principles of non-indifference. It may reaffirm its readiness to uphold and ensure respect for AU’s legal commitment to the principle of non-indifference and remind member states of their obligations to collaborate with the AU for the implementation of this principle.

Tomorrow (12 April) the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) will convene its 989th session, which will be a virtual open session on the theme ‘hate crimes and fighting genocide ideology in Africa’. The session is to be convened in line with the Communiqué of the 678th session of the PSC that decided to convene annually in April an open meeting on hate crimes and fighting genocide ideology in Africa.

The PSC Chairperson for the month Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti, Mohammed Idriss, is expected to deliver opening remarks followed by a statement from the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye. Presentations will also be delivered by the Representative of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr. Tom Ndahiro, Researcher and Scholar on Genocide; UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Ms. Alice Wairimu Nderitu; and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to the AU Birgitte Markussen. The Permanent Members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) are also expected to make statements.

Tomorrow’s session forms part of the annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, which was observed on 7 April in accordance with AU Assembly Decision Assembly/ AU / Dec.695 of 2 July 2018. The PSC designated the theme of the session for remembering both the lives lost and the destruction caused in Rwanda and the lessons learned from the genocide. As highlighted in previous sessions, this theme also serves to draw attention to contemporary issues of ethnic, religious and other identity-based mobilisation of animosity and hatred as well as incitement of violence.

Recent peace and security trends on the continent show that the rise of violent extremism in Africa has come to pose increasingly serious concerns for peace, security and stability in the continent. The increase in violent extremism in Africa, particularly along religious and ethnic lines, lays a fertile ground for eventual occurrence of hate crimes and genocide. Other related areas of concern include the rise of hate speech, inter-ethnic and communal clashes and sectarian or tribal violence. Hate crimes and genocide are known to occur, not as isolated event, but rather as a result of intensified hatred and violent incitement which develop and strengthen over a period of time. Hence, Council may stress the importance of ensuring concerted efforts at the national, regional and continental level, to fight extremist ideologies. In connection to that, Council may underscore the need of addressing the underlying causes of extremism such as marginalization, tribalism and discrimination, all of which also create the environment for genocide and hate crimes to thrive.

In diverse and heterogeneous communities that are divided along ethnic, religious, racial and other grounds, and in those societies consisting of minority groups, a major policy issue entails measures that would prevent discrimination, exclusion, and ensuing hate speech which eventually leads to hate crimes and risk of genocide. It is also as important to create a true sense of unity based on inclusive approaches that promote tolerance of differences and embrace ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission which was established in March 1999 in Rwanda, with the purpose of promoting unity among Rwandans following the genocide against Tutsi, stands as a good example of an inclusive approach which advances unity. Council is expected to commend the creation of this Commission and call on other Member States to emulate this and similar initiatives in their efforts to build social cohesion.

As the PSC repeatedly highlighted at its previous sessions on the theme, combating impunity of genocide perpetrators is an essential part of seeking sustainable peace, justice, truth and reconciliation. This requires the promulgation and enactment of the necessary legal framework dealing with hate speech, hate crimes and genocide, as well as strengthened cooperation and coordination among Member States to prosecute or extradite suspected fugitives.

Just as important is fighting against genocide denialism which deprives healing and justice to victims/survivors, and prevents a successful process of reconciliation from taking place. Accordingly, Council may urge Member States to sign, ratify, domesticate and implement relevant international legal instruments on hate crimes and genocide, as well as ensure proper prosecution of perpetrators of such atrocious crimes in line with international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In addition, Council may call on Member States to take lesson from Rwanda’s experience of using various mechanisms such as deportations, prosecutions and commissions of inquiry in its fight against impunity and its quest of justice for victims of the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.

The last time PSC had a session on the same theme was in 2019, at its 836th meeting. Among the key points emphasised at that session was Council’s call for Member States and Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) to effectively utilise AU early warning mechanisms, in order to assess, detect and respond to risks of hate crimes and genocide in a timely manner. Tomorrow’s session offers Council the chance to reiterate its call and follow up on measures taken by States and RECs/RMs, to avert possible risks of hate crimes and genocide. In addition, Council may also reiterate the importance of raising awareness about the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, through formal education in schools and through media, so as to sensitise the current generation and prevent similar atrocities from happening again.

The vital role of youth and women in peace process has been emphasised by Council at its various sessions dedicated to the themes ‘youth, peace and security’ and ‘women, peace and security’. Grassroots level inclusive initiatives that ensure meaningful participation of women and youth in countering rhetoric of hate and pursuing peace and unity can considerably contribute to preventing hate crimes and genocide. It is particularly important to ensure that the youth play a direct role in social transformation, in order to ensure the sustainability of peace. Hence, Council may call on Member States to adopt inclusive programmes and platforms that fully engage women and youth.

The impact of new communication technology and social media is another area of interest, particularly in terms of their role in the propagation of fake news, hate speech and incitement of violence and the impact thereof. There is increasing concern that new communication technology and social media platforms have also proven to negatively impact peace and security, mainly by serving as a platform for incitement of violence and exacerbation of hate speech, including for mobilizing and recruitment by terrorist groups. The key issue that arises here is the ways and means of harnessing the enormous benefits of the new communication technology and social media platforms in enhancing human rights and democratization while limiting their negative impacts on social harmony and peace and stability. It is also as essential to manipulate the media to counter extremist rhetoric and inform and educate the community of the dangers of hate speech. Council may reflect on the importance of responsible use of social media and the need for proper State regulation of the media space in line with international human rights principles.

The expected outcome of the session, if previous sessions are any guide, is expected to be a press statement. As indicated in the information note of the session, Council is expected to request the AU Commission (AUC) to appoint an officer within the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) to drive a campaign aimed at fighting the ideology of hate, hate crimes and genocide, through print and electronic media. Council is also expected to request the CEWS to setup a mechanism for regular assessment of potential genocide, in order to alert the PSC and AU Member States. In addition, the CEWS may also be requested to brief Council twice a year, on key developments in the continent, in order to allow timely intervention. Having regard to the importance of the theme, Council is also expected to request the AUC to include in PSC’s ‘Report on its Activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa’, a section on indicators of hate crimes and risk factors for their escalation into genocide.