In July, Djibouti will be chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). Council’s provisional programme of work for the month envisages three sessions addressing four substantive agenda items. One of these will have a thematic focus while the other three will be addressing country/region specific situations. Council is also scheduled to undertake a field mission to Somalia during the month.

On 01 July, the PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) is set to convene a meeting in preparation for two upcoming consultative meetings of the Council. The first one is the 7^th Informal Joint Meeting and 16^th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting of the PSC and the United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC). The second one is the 3^rd Annual Consultative Meeting between the PSC and Policy Organs of Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs).

The first substantive session of the month, scheduled to take place on 05 July, is envisaged to have two agenda items. The first agenda will be committed to an updated briefing on the situation in the Horn of Africa. The AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, is expected to brief Council, mainly on the situation in Ethiopia as he did in his earlier briefings to the Council. This will constitute the second briefing of the High Representative to Council in 2022, the first one having taken place in February. Although a briefing session was planned to take place in May at the request of High Representative Obasanjo, it was later cancelled. The coming briefing is expected to provide Council updates on the High Representative’s activities since his last briefing as well as overall developments regarding the situation.

The second agenda for Council’s session on 05 July will be a briefing on the situation in South Sudan. This session comes at a time when the end of the transitional period is fast approaching before the completion of key transitional activities envisaged in the Revitalised Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).  The coming session is expected to assess where the transitional process stands, what to do with some of the more transitional tasks that could not be completed before the end of the transitional period and whether and how the elections envisaged to take place in early 2023 could be organized. Council may also follow up on the decisions of its previous session on South Sudan – the 1060^th meeting – where among others, it mandated the AU PCRD Centre to prioritize South Sudan amongst its priority areas of focus and requested the AU Commission to dispatch a post-conflict needs-assessment mission to South Sudan. The session can also serve as an occasion for considering the conclusions of the Council’s filed mission to South Sudan that took place in February 2022. Although Council planned to convene a session in March to consider the report of its field mission, that did not take place.

On 11 July, Council will consider and adopt the draft provisional programme of work for the month of August 2022.

The third session of the month will be taking place on 21 July and will be committed to the consideration of the report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on elections in Africa. This is a session which was initially planned to take place in June but later moved into July due to changes to Council’s programme of work for the month of June. Following the previous report of the AU Commission Chairperson on elections in Africa conducted in the period from July to December 2021 – considered at Council’s 1062^nd session – the coming report is expected to provide details of elections conducted during the first half of 2022 (January to June 2022).

The last session of the month is expected to take place on 25 July. The session will be committed to a briefing on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and operations of the AU Observer Mission in CAR (MOUACA). It is to be recalled that MOUACA was authorised by the PSC at its 936^th session held in July 2020. The mission’s main purpose is to support and monitor the implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR. The session will be important to draw attention to some of the key factors that continue to limit progress in the implementation of the Political Agreement and impede effective discharge of MOUACA’s mandate. The session may also serve to follow up on the status of implementation of the decisions of Council’s previous –  1011^th – session, including its request for the Chairperson of the AU Commission to conduct an assessment on the illegal flow of arms in CAR and submit a detailed report to Council and for the AU Commission to undertake a technical needs assessment mission to the CAR, with a view to mapping out the priority needs of the CAR Government.

From 27 to 29 July, Council will conduct a field mission to Somalia to take stock of the political, security and humanitarian developments in the country. This filed mission comes not long after the end of the long delayed and protracted electoral process that culminated in the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President of Somalia. It is to be recalled that the PSC played an important role for the electoral process by rejecting the attempt of the former president to extend his term of office and the field mission serves as an occasion for affirming close working relationship with ATMIS and the AU for implementation of the Somalia Transitional Plan and achieve stability in Somalia.

The provisional programme of work for July also envisages in footnotes, the possibility of convening of a session to consider renewal of the mandate of G5 Sahel Joint Force, on a date to be determined. The footnotes also envisage possible PSC informal consultations with the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Bankole Adeoye as well as consultations between the PSC Chair and UNSC President for the month, also on dates to be confirmed.

During June, the Republic of Congo will be chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). According to Council’s provisional programme of work for the month, seven substantive sessions are planned to take place. These include two sessions dedicated to country/region specific situations, four sessions on thematic agenda items and the Joint Retreat and Annual Joint Consultative meeting of the PSC and the European Union (EU) Political and Security Committee (EUPSC).

The first session of the month will be a briefing on the situation in the Sahel region, scheduled to take place on 01 June. Apart from sessions on specific countries of the region – mainly the political transitions in Mali and Burkina Faso – the last time the Council convened a dedicated session on the security situation in the Sahel region was in 2020, at its 939^th meeting. Since then, the security situation in the region has continued to deteriorate with major surge in the number and intensity of terrorist attacks. In addition to receiving updates on the security trends in the region and the humanitarian toll of terrorist attacks, an issue which may take centre stage at the upcoming session is the decision of Malian transition authorities to withdraw from the G5 Sahel and its Joint Force and its consequent impact on regional security. Council may also use the session to discuss ways forward in the deployment of the 3000 troops to Sahel, which remains pending since the 2020 decision of the AU Assembly to deploy 3000 troops to the region (Assembly/AU/Dec.792(XXXIII)) and PSC’s endorsement of the “Revised Strategic Concept Note on Planning Guidance for the Deployment of 3000 Troops to the Sahel” at its 950^th session.

On 6 June, the PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) will meet to prepare for the PSC field mission to the Great Lakes Region (GLR) planned to take place within the month. It is expected to finalize the details on the field mission including the destinations for the visit.

The second session scheduled for 07 June will be Council’s annual deliberation on the prevention of the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa. This theme became part of PSC’s annual agenda item following the Council’s 678^th session which decided to dedicate annually, an open session to the prevention of hate crimes and genocide. The session is convened in collaboration with the Embassy of Rwanda.

On 9 and 10 June respectively, the PSC will have its 5^th annual joint retreat and 13^th annual joint consultative meeting with the EUPSC. The AUPSC and EUPSC have held Annual joint consultative meetings in the context of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, since their inaugural meeting in 2008, although no such meeting was held in 2021. Starting from 2015, the joint consultative meetings are preceded by joint informal retreats aimed at creating the opportunity for an informal engagement to facilitate more constructive dialogue and convergence of approaches. While the agenda is still being consolidated, the proposed topic for the joint retreat taking place on 9 June includes enhancing AU-EU cooperation in multilateral fora: ensuring sustainability of AU peace support operations (PSOs) while the agenda for the annual consultative meeting scheduled for 10 June includes situations in the GLR, Lake Chad Basin (LCB), Libya, Sahel Region and Somalia/AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

On 13 June, Council will consider and adopt the draft provisional programme of work for the month of July 2022, through email exchanges.

From 14 to 17 June, Council will conduct a field mission to the GLR. This is a follow up to the decision of its 1078^th session to ‘undertake a field mission to the eastern part of the DRC and the Great Lakes Region as a whole, as soon as possible.’ The PSC is expected to visit countries including Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congo, with the possibility of visit to an additional county. This field mission comes at a critical time for the GLR as tensions in the region are raising with the attacks from the militant Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) wreaking havoc in Eastern DRC and the resumption of fighting between the M23 rebel group and the DRC army fuelling regional tension.

On 20 June, the PSC CoE will convene to conduct a review of implementation of PSC decisions. This is a key exercise for improving the decision-making of the PSC and its effectiveness.

A briefing on the situation in Libya is the next item on Council’s agenda for the month, planned to be held on 21 June. This session is expected to be a physical meeting, with the attendance of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Congo as a guest participant. It is expected that the session will discuss the state of the transition in Libya and follow up on various previous decisions on enhancing AU’s role in supporting the transitional process. The last time Council convened a session to address the situation in Libya was in May 2021, at its 997^th ministerial level meeting.

On 23 June, the PSC is scheduled to have a briefing by the Panel of the Wise on its activities in Africa.  The last time Council received a briefing on the activities of the Panel of the Wise was in March 2017, at its 665^th session. At the upcoming session, Council may welcome the new members of the fifth Panel of the Wise appointed for a three-year term by the AU Assembly at its 35^th Ordinary Session (Assembly/AU/Dec. 815(XXXV)). In addition to receiving updates on the engagements of the Panel in the areas of conflict prevention, mediation, reconciliation and dialogue since its previous briefing, Council may also hear about the key outcomes of the inaugural meeting of the fifth Panel of the Wise convened from 28 to 29 March 2022.

Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is the focus of the next session of the PSC scheduled for 28 June. At its 1012^th session where Council last discussed maritime security in Africa, the growing insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea was one of the issues which took centre stage. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea continues to be a serious security concern. Council may reflect on the current state of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea since its last meeting, follow up on earlier decisions on the subject and on enhancing the role that the AU and the concerned Regional Economic Communities (RECs), namely Economic Community of Central African States (ECAS) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The last substantive session of the month is expected to take place on 30 June and will be committed to the consideration of the report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on elections in Africa. Following the previous report of the AU Commission Chairperson on elections in Africa conducted in the period from July to December 2021 – considered at Council’s 1062^nd session – the coming report is expected to provide details of elections conducted during the first half of 2022 (January to June 2022).

On 30 June, The Chairperson of the Council is scheduled to brief the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) on its activities conducted during the month.

Council’s provisional programme of work for the month also envisages in footnote, consultations between the PSC Chair and the President of the UN Security Council for the month, on a date to be determined.

In May, Cameroon will assume the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). According to the provisional program of work, Council is expected to convene eight substantive sessions at ambassadorial level. Council will also have a training of the Committee of Experts (CoE) and a meeting of the Military Staff Committee (MSC) during the month.

The first session of the month, scheduled to take place on 4 May, is envisaged to have two agenda items. The first agenda will be committed to a briefing on the state of humanitarian actions in Africa. Over the years, Council has convened multiple sessions related to the humanitarian situation in the continent, an issue particularly addressed through the International Committee of the Red Cross’s annual briefings to the PSC. This session, coming ahead of the Extraordinary Summit that will take place on 28^th May in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea focusing on the humanitarian situation, serves as further opportunity to discuss the humanitarian situation in Africa. During the past few years, the number of people internally displaced and those forced to flee into neighboring countries has continued to significantly increase in various parts of the continent. The challenge is not simply the worsening of the humanitarian situation in Africa. Of equal concern is the declining capacity and increasingly constrained space for delivering humanitarian assistance to people in need. The upcoming session could serve to discuss some of the challenges to humanitarian action in the continent. It may also serve as an opportunity for Council to receive an update on the status of operationalisation of the AU Humanitarian Agency (AUHA) which is expected to play a significant role in addressing some of the challenges and advance humanitarian action in Africa.

The second item on the agenda for the session on 4 May will be a briefing on the situation in the Horn of Africa. High Representative of AU Chairperson for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, on whose request the session is convened, will be briefing Council mainly on the situation in Ethiopia, as he did in his earlier briefings to the Council. It is expected that the High Representative will give updated on developments on the situation and his activities since his last briefing to the PSC in February. The update could address the status of the dire humanitarian situation, the humanitarian truce declared by the conflict parties and the efforts for initiating peace process.

The second session of the month, planned to take place on 6 May, will be a briefing on transnational organised crimes and peace and security in Africa. The last time Council addressed the specific theme of transnational organised crimes was at its 845^th session convened on 25 April 2019. In subsequent sessions addressing terrorism and violent extremism in the continent, Council has also drawn attention to the growing linkage between transnational organised crimes and terrorism in Africa. The upcoming session could serve to capture latest trends in organised transnational crimes in the continent as well as its continued contribution to financing terrorism.

On 9 May, Council will convene an open session on food security and conflict in Africa. The session is planned to take place in line with AU’s theme for 2022 “Building resilience in nutrition on the African continent: Accelerate the human capital and social economic development”. Conflict continues to induce and exacerbate food insecurity in many parts of the continent by displacing food producing populations, destroying agricultural infrastructure and inputs and by pushing food prices up as well as by disrupting humanitarian access. As a result, not only that millions of people in various conflict settings in the Horn of Africa, Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel are facing severe food insecurity. The issues that this session would address could put spotlight on the scale of the crisis, the roles and responsibilities of conflict parties (including their violation of international humanitarian law in using access to food and the destruction of food sources as an instrument of war) and the urgent measures required for addressing this grave situation.

On the same day, the Council will also consider and adopt the draft provisional programme of work for the month of June 2022.

On 11 May, Council will have a preparatory meeting for the 5^th Joint Retreat and 13^th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting of the PSC and the European Union (EU) Political and Security Commission (EUPSC). It is to be recalled that the 5^th Joint Retreat and 13^th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting were originally planned to take place in late 2021 but got postponed into 2022.

From 12 to 15 May, training of CoE is planned to be conducted. The training is expected to strengthen the capacity of the CoE in discharging its mandate.

On 17 May, Council will convene an open session on Living Together in Peace, a theme which has formed part of Council’s annual agenda since the 891^st session which first addressed the theme. The last time Council addressed the theme was at its 995^th session of 13 May 2021 where it expressed concern over the persistence of violent conflicts, the resurgence of hate speech and increase of religious intolerance, radicalization and extremism. At the forthcoming session, Council may reiterate its call for member States to respond to these and other challenges to peace and security in the continent by addressing their underlying root causes.

The next session, scheduled for 18 May, will be committed to a briefing on disarmament and control of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Africa. The last time Council convened a session on illicit proliferation and trafficking of SALW was at its 860^th meeting held on 18 July 2019.  The session serves as an opportunity follow up on the status of implementation of the request made at its 1011^th session for the Chairperson of the AU Commission to conduct an assessment on illicit flow of arms in the central African region and submit to Council as soon as possible. In addition, it may follow up on the request made at its 1040^th session, for the Commission to conduct the second phase of the Mapping Study on SALW, with a particular focus on the link between illicit arms flow and terrorism and transnational crimes in the continent.

Council will also receive a briefing on civil-military relations as a factor for peace and security in Africa, as a second agenda item of the session on 18 May. This would be the first time for Council to convene a session committed to this specific issue. The resurgence of unconstitutional change of governments (UCG) noted in the continent throughout 2021 and into early 2022 is one of the factors that have inspired the planned session on this particular topic. It is to be recalled that at its various sessions addressing UCG in concerned member States, Council has repeatedly stressed the importance of military non-intervention in politics. In terms of addressing military coups in particular and the fracturing of militaries leading to armed conflicts, the focus on civil-military relationship draws attention to the issues of the politicization of the military by politicians for their narrow political ends, thereby inducing the interest of the military to interfere in politics, the professionalism of the military in terms of, among others, adherence to code of conduct and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law and its constitutional obligations.

The PSC MSC will also be meeting on 19 May to conduct an evaluation of the functioning, proposed structure and capacity of the Continental Logistics Base in Douala, Cameroon. The operationalization of the African Standby Force and the status of the CLB are among the major issues on which the MSC has been engaged in over the years.

On 28 May, the AU Extraordinary Summit on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of regime in Africa will be held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in line with Assembly/AU/Dec. 828(XXXV).

The last session planned to take place on 31 May will be an update on the situation in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB). The session presents an opportunity for the PSC to consider the various security threats and humanitarian situation in the region.  In addition, Council may be updated on the challenges and progresses experienced in the implementation of the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of the Boko Haram affected areas of the LCB, since its 1010^th session when it was last briefed on the implementation status of the Regional Strategy.

On 31 May, Council will also brief the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) on its activities conducted during the month.

Council’s provisional programme of work for the month also envisages in footnote, consultations between the PSC Chair and the President of the UN Security Council for the month, on a date to be determined.

Burundi assumes the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) during April. The provisional program of work for the month, envisages seven substantive sessions including two on country situations.

On 1 April, the PSC receives a briefing on mine action, ahead of the commemoration of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which is observed annually on 4 April. The meeting is convened through physical presence of participants. Last time the theme of mine action was discussed by Council was September 2021, at its 1032^nd meeting. In addition to reflecting on the latest developments in mine action on the continent, the briefing serves to outline and follow-up on the status of implementation of some of the key decisions of Council’s 1032^nd session, including its request for the AU Commission to integrate mine action within the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2030.

On 6 April, Council is scheduled to receive a briefing on continental early warning and security outlook. It is to be recalled that at its previous session on the theme – the 1014^th session held in July 2021 – Council comprehensively highlighted the major peace and security challenges in the continent, drawing particular attention to the growing rate of terrorism. Accordingly, it requested to be updated on the status of development of a 5-year strategic roadmap for prevention and combating terrorism and violent extremism, a request initially made at its 687^th session. One key area of focus at the upcoming session could therefore be a follow-up on the development of this strategic roadmap.

On 8 April, the PSC will consider and adopt the draft provisional programme of work for the month of May 2022, via email exchange.

On 12 April, Council is scheduled to receive a briefing on the activities of AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and operational cost of the Mission, which has replaced the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In 2022 alone, the Council has dedicated two sessions to discuss the reconfiguration of AMISOM. The mandate of ATMIS started on 1 April and the session on 12 April will be the first one to consider the new mission. At its 1068^th session convened on 8 March, Council adopted key decisions with regards to the transition of AMISOM, including the authorization of ATMIS in replacement of AMISOM, effective as of 1 April 2022. Critical issues that may be discussed at the forthcoming session include establishing sources of financing of ATMIS, such as through the support from the European Peace Facility and UN assessed contributions.

An update on countries in transition including Sudan, Chad, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso is scheduled for 14 April. The session presents the PSC an opportunity to reflect on the various developments in the countries and to also follow up on its previous decisions on the respective country specific situations. The session will also take place as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has set new deadlines for Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso to hold elections and restore civilian rule.

On 19 April, the PSC is scheduled to have a meeting to follow up on the February 2022 Great Lakes Summit which was convened in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Summit was the 10^th in a series convened with the central purpose of assessing the status of implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF) and general efforts in stabilizing the region, with a particular focus on eastern DRC. The session can also serve as an opportunity to address recent developments in the eruption of fighting between the Congolese army and M23 which has led to the displacement of nearly 36,000 people within the country according to UNHCR figures.

On 21 April, a session dedicated to a debate on climate change, peace and security in Africa is scheduled to take place. The last PSC session dedicated to the theme of climate change was the 1051^st session convened in November 2021. The planned session serves to follow up on some of Council’s calls and requests from the previous session including the status of establishment of the Climate Change Fund and the Continental Civil Capacity for Disaster Preparedness and Response, as well as the finalization of a climate-related security risks assessment study. Council may also once again welcome Egypt’s presidency of the 27^th Conference of the Parties (COP) to United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in November 2022 and encourage member States and all other relevant AU actors to take the opportunity to advance African priorities in the global climate change forum. The session may serve to highlight the need for a common African position and an approach in which African states speak in one voice in various climate related forums.

The reflection meeting on Youth, Peace and Security in Africa scheduled for 25 April will be held in Burundi with the participation of the second cohort of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs) and Evariste Ndayishimiye as the guest of Honor. The session presents the opportunity for Council to engage with the new cohort of AYAPs, on key AU frameworks and initiatives on the YPS agenda and ways through which they can contribute to continental peace and security efforts. Moreover, Burundi wishes to use the forum to showcase its experiences and lessons learned in relation to youth, peace and security.

The next session scheduled for 26 April will be a preparatory meeting regarding two agenda items. The first one will be a preparation for the Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government (UCG), which is planned to take place by the end of May 2022, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The decision to convene an Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism and UCG was made by the AU Assembly at its 35^th Ordinary Session (Assembly/AU/Dec. 828(XXXV)), considering the spread of terrorism and the surge in UCG in the continent during the previous year. The second agenda item will be preparation for the PSC meeting on working methods (14^th PSC Retreat), also planned to be held in May 2022.

Council will conclude its activities for the month with a briefing on 29 April to be delivered by the PSC Chairperson to the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), on the Council’s activities for the month of April 2022.

It is also indicated in footnote that consultations may be held between the Chair of the PSC and the UN Security Council (UNSC) President at a time and date to be determined.

Lesotho assumes the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) in March. The provisional program of work for the month envisages six substantive sessions, out of which one will address a country specific situation while the remaining will revolve around various thematic topics. In addition to its substantive sessions, Council will also undertake other activities including the induction of new PSC member States and the conduct of a reflection forum on unconstitutional changes of government (UCG).

The first session of the month is scheduled to take place on 3 March and will be an open session dedicated to the theme of youth, peace and security in Africa. The session is expected to take place within the framework of Council’s 807^th session convened in November 2018, which decided to institutionalise and regularise the annual open session dedicated to the theme.

On 4 March, the Committee of Experts (CoE) is expected to meet to prepare for the induction and orientation of incoming members of the Council.

The second substantive session is expected to be held on 8 March. The session will be dedicated to the consideration of the joint AU-UN proposal on the reconfigured mission to replace AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Following the development of a framework document for reconfiguring AMISOM through AU-FGS consultations, both the PSC and the UNSC convened sessions on 15 February to discuss the document which provides the mandate, composition, size and structure of the proposed transition mission – the AU Transitional Mission to Somalia (ATMIS). As the deadline for the expiry of AMISOM’s mandate renewed under UNSC Res2614/2021 approaches, the upcoming session is expected to provide an overview on AU’s and UN’s joint position on the proposed mission (ATMIS).

The third session of the month will be dedicated to consider the draft Conclusions of the first Joint Retreat of the PSC and the APRM (eThekwini Conclusions), which is planned to be held on 10 March. It is to be recalled that the PSC had its inaugural consultative meeting with the APRM in Durban, South Africa, from 19 to 21 December 2021. The draft Conclusions are expected to capture some of the key issues addressed at the retreat including the role of early warning and preventive diplomacy in averting governance related crisis in the continent.

The fourth session of the month, also scheduled to take place on 10 March, will focus on the status of operationalization of Africa Standby Force (ASF). The last time Council received updates on the subject was at its 1007^th session convened in July 2021. The upcoming session presents the opportunity for the Council to follow up on some of the key decisions adopted at the 1007^th session including its request for the AU Commission to “set up a multi-agency strategic working group chaired by the AU Commission, to coordinate efforts amongst all the relevant stakeholders on the full operationalization of the ASF”.

On 14 March, the PSC will consider and adopt the draft provisional programme of work for the month of April 2022.

From 15 to 17 March, the PSC will convene a reflection forum on UCG, which will be hosted by the Government of Ghana. Council decided to convene the forum at its 1061^st session on “Promoting Constitutionalism, Democracy and Inclusive Governance to Strengthen Peace, Security and Stability in Africa”, as a brainstorming seminar between the PSC and other relevant actors, in response to the resurgence of UCG in Africa observed in 2021 and early 2022.

On 21 and 22 March, induction/orientation of incoming member States of the PSC will be held at the level of CoE, in Maseru, Lesotho. Council will then conduct the induction of new member States in Maseru, at ambassadorial level, from 23 to 25 March.

On 29 March, Council will convene to consider policies on child protection in AU PSOs and mainstreaming child protection in APSA. At its 994^th session convened in May 2021, Council took note of a study by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), providing areas for the integration and mainstreaming of child protection within the various phases of AU’s peace and security interventions. The initiative to institutionalize a child protection architecture within APSA emanated from the recommendations of this study. The upcoming session is expected to follow up on the level of implementation of Council’s request at its 994^th session, for the AU Commission to develop a policy aimed at mainstreaming child protection at all phases of intervention within the framework of APSA.

The last substantive session of the month will be convened on 31 March, which will be a briefing by African Commission on Nuclear energy (AFCONE) on the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty. The Pelindaba Treaty, or the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, was adopted in 1996 and entered into force in July 2009. The treaty has the central purpose of banning the development, acquisition, use or testing of nuclear weapons. In addition to providing updates on the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty, AFCONE may also brief Council on the level of adoption and implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in Africa, as highlighted by the PSC at its 837^th session convened in April 2019.

On 31 March, the Chairperson of the PSC will also be convening a press conference. Increasingly PSC monthly chairs are holding press conference at the end of their chairship, it’s a practice observed more regularly particularly after mid 2021.

In February, the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) goes to Kenya. PSC’s indicative programme of work for the month envisages five substantive sessions, one of which will be convened at the level of Heads of State and Government addressing two agenda items – one country specific and one thematic. Three of the other sessions will address country specific concerns and one will be a Ministerial meeting on a thematic issue.

On 7 February, the PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) will meet to prepare for the ministerial meeting of the month planned to take place on the next day.

The first session of the month scheduled to take place at Ministerial level on 8 February will be an open session committed to the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda, a thematic issue which has been part of PSC’s standing agenda items since 2010. This year’s session on the theme is expected to address the nexus between urbanisation and WPS. The positive contributions and negative impacts of urbanisation on the implementation of the WPS agenda as incorporated in key normative frameworks including United Nations (UN) Security Council (UNSC) Res1325/2000 could be expected to be the central focus of the session.

On 10 February, the Council will convene two sessions. First, the PSC will consider the situation in Sudan. The last PSC session addressing the situation in Sudan was the 1060th session convened on 25 January, which will make the upcoming session the second one since the beginning of the year, an indication of the Council’s intensified engagement on the unfolding political crisis in the country. In addition to receiving updates on the prevailing political and security situation, Council may also follow up on the decisions of its previous meeting, particularly its request for the AU Commission to establish an AU mechanism aimed at supporting Sudan’s transition.

The second session expected to take place on 10 February is an update on the situation in Guinea. At the 1036th session where Council last considered the situation in the country, it urged Guinean authorities to adhere with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)’s demand for urgent restoration of constitutional order within six months, through a civilian-led transitional government. While Guinea’s transitional authorities established the National Transitional Council (CNT), the deadline for the transitional period and for the conduct of elections is yet to be announced. The briefing would allow the Council to take stock of the existing challenges and deliberate on areas for AU support to Guinean’s transition.

On 11 February, the CoE will convene again to prepare for the month’s Heads of State and Government meeting as well as for the induction of the new members expected to join the Council in April 2022. The Council will also consider and adopt the provisional programme of work for the following month (March) on the same day.

The next session is scheduled to take place on 15 February and will serve for the PSC to receive updates on the status of consultations regarding post-2021 AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Following continuous consultations between the AU and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), an agreement was reached between the two on a framework document for reconfiguring AMISOM following a week-long consultation which ended on 22 January. Following this latest consultation, AMISOM is to transition to ‘AU Transitional Mission to Somalia (ATMIS)’ which is planned to be operational for a period of 33 months until it hands over security responsibilities to National Armed Forces of Somalia. At the upcoming session, the PSC is expected to be briefed on the outcomes of the consultations and deliberate on the specific contents of the agreed framework document.

The last PSC session of the month will be held on 16 February, at the Heads of State and Government level. The first agenda item of the meeting will be consideration of the situation in Western Sahara. It is to be recalled that at its 984th session the PSC adopted decisions aimed at addressing the resumption of military confrontations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahrawi Republic. Key among the decisions adopted at that session were Council’s undertaking to conduct a field mission to the region; the commencement of processes for re-opening the AU Office in Laayoune, Western Sahara and the revitalisation of the AU Troika’s engagement with Morocco and Saharawi Republic. The upcoming session may serve as an opportunity to follow up on the progress in implementing these decisions.

The second agenda item of to be addressed at the Heads of State and Government meeting of 16 February will be a follow up on the implementation of the Nairobi deliberations on terrorism and violent extremism in Africa. The agenda is expected to be a follow up of the progress in implementing the outcomes of the ‘African Regional High-Level Conference on Counter Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism’ which took place on 10 July 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya.

In addition to its substantive sessions, the PSC is also scheduled to conduct two field missions, one to South Sudan (from 23 to 24 February) and another one to Sudan (from 27 to 28 February).

Ghana assumes the role of chairing the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) for the month of January. In January, Ghana also starts its two-year term on the UN Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member representing Africa. The provisional program of work for the month includes five substantive sessions—two country/region specific and three thematic sessions.

On 5 January, the Committee of Experts is expected to meet to consider the report on the activities of the Peace and Security Council and the state of peace and security in Africa. On 11 and 13 January, the PSC will convene at Ambassadorial level to consider and adopt the same report, which will be submitted to the Assembly in February.

The first substantive session of the year is scheduled to happen on 14 January to consider the renewal of the mandate of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF). The PSC last renewed MNJTF’s mandate at its 973rd session held on 18 January 2021, for a period of twelve months, effective from 31 January 2021. Apart from mandate renewal, the Council may receive update on the activities of the MNJTF in line with the relevant provisions contained in the Communiqué PSC/AHG/ COMM.2 (CDLXXXIV) of 29 January 2015. The continued use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by Boko Haram for reconnaissance operations and capability gaps within the MNJTF were areas of concern to the Council during its previous sessions. In light of this, members of the PSC are likely to hear from the AU Commission about efforts to engage with partners and other stakeholders to mobilize support for the taskforce and mitigate its capability gaps.

On 17 January, the PSC will convene at a ministerial level to hold a general debate of the PSC and the A3+1 on African matters in the UNSC agenda. This session comes not long after the conclusion of the eighth high level seminar on peace and security in Africa that took place in Oran, Algeria, in early December 2021. The high-level seminar serves as a platform to facilitate close interaction and enhance coordination between the PSC and the A3 (the three African non-permanent members of the UNSC). It is to be recalled that the PSC, at its last session on the A3 (983rd meeting convened on 4 March 2021), stressed the importance of providing ‘strategic guidance’ to the A3 on peace and security issues ahead of the UNSC meetings to support their role in advancing a unified African voice at the UNSC. In this context, the upcoming general debate is pivotal to exchange views and forge a common understanding among members of the PSC and A3+1 on African files in the UNSC. Furthermore, the session offers good opportunity to further consolidate coordination between PSC and the A3.

On the following day, 18 January, PSC will consider and adopt its provisional program of work for February through email exchange.

On 25 January, the PSC is expected to receive a briefing on South Sudan. It is to be recalled that the PSC undertook a three-day field mission to South Sudan in March 2021. The report of the field mission was considered during PSC’s 990th session held on 13 April. In that session, while the Council noted the ‘steady progress’ in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), it also urged the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) to work on all outstanding provisions of the R-ARCSS notably Chapter II (transitional security arrangements) and Chapter V (Transitional justice). As the deadline for the transitional period fast approaches—scheduled to end in February 2023—the briefing would allow members of the PSC to take stock of the progresses and challenges in the implementation of the revitalized agreement and discuss the way forward.

On 27 January, there will be an open session on ‘promoting constitutionalism, democracy and inclusive governance to strengthen peace, security and stability in Africa’. At the Council’s 791st session convened in August 2018, it was agreed to dedicate an annual session on the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, though not followed up. The upsurge of unconstitutional change of government in 2021 and its destabilizing effect however makes this session very timely. The session is expected to highlight the need to deepen democratic culture, constitutionalism and political governance for a peaceful and stable continent. To that end, the contribution of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the twin architectures of AGA (African Governance Architecture) and APSA (African Peace and Security Architecture) could also be explored.

The last session of the month is scheduled to happen on 31 January to receive a briefing on elections in Africa. The last briefing was held during the Council’s 1034th meeting in September 2021 where the Council considered the report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on elections in Africa held between January and June 2021. This briefing therefore follows the previous one, which is expected to cover elections in Africa held during the period from July to December 2021. Like in the previous sessions, the briefing will be based on the report of the Chairperson of the Commission that provides an overview of elections in the continent, in addition to highlighting key trends in governance, emerging patterns in the conduct of elections, AU’s electoral support and interventions as well as policy recommendations.

In addition to the above agenda items, the provisional program of work also indicates in footnote on the possibility of convening a session on the status of AMISOM post-2021 without setting a specific date. This session is likely to happen soon given the most recent milestone reached with the signing of an agreement between the AU and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) on 29 December 2021, outlining principles and modalities for ‘reconfigured’ AMISOM. The session may also consider the latest dispute between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’ and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and its implication on the long overdue presidential election and the overall peace and stability of Somalia.

In December, Ethiopia will be the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). The PSC’s provisional programme of work for the month envisages two country specific sessions, one thematic session and the 15th annual joint consultative meeting between the PSC and United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is expected to be preceded by the informal joint seminar. A joint retreat of the PSC and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is also scheduled to take place in Durban during the course of the month.

The first session of the month is expected to take place on 7 December and will assess the situation in Somalia and the status of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) post-2021. At its 1037th and 1042nd sessions convened in October, Council endorsed option one of the Report of the AU Independent Assessment Team on AU’s Engagement in and with Somalia Post-2021. Option one of the report envisages the transitioning of AMISOM into AU-UN Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Somalia. While AMISOM’s transitioning into such mission is favoured for providing predictability in terms of financing, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has voiced complete rejection of this option, stressing that it does not conform to the original plan envisaged under the Somalia Transitional Plan (STP). Following that, a delegation of the PSC visited Somalia on 9 November to consult with the FGS, representatives of AMISOM and other relevant stakeholders and determine ways for Council’s next steps in its support to Somalia. The upcoming session is hence expected to provide updates on the progress obtained in reaching an agreement between the AU and FGS on the nature and mandates of AMISOM post-2021, among other issues.

On 9 and 10 December, the PSC will consider the annual indicative programme for 2022, through email exchanges. The PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) will also be convening on 9 December to review the implementation of PSC decisions for the second half of 2021.

On 13 December, the PSC CoE will meet to consider the report on activities of the PSC and the state of peace and security in Africa, which is to be submitted to the AU Assembly at the upcoming AU Summit on January/February 2022.

The second substantive session of the month is scheduled to take place on 14 December. The session will be convened at the ministerial level and will address the interdependence between peace and security and development. In 2019, PSC had its first meeting on the same theme, at its 883rd ministerial session. It is to be recalled that at that session Council emphasised the intrinsic link between peace and security and development and called for the coordinated implementation of relevant AU frameworks, particularly the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and African Governance Architecture (AGA). In light of that, Council requested the Chairperson of the AU Commission to submit annually a report on measures taken to enhance the collaboration and coordination between different departments of the AU Commission and AU Specialized Agencies to support the PSC. Council may follow up on this request at the upcoming session. It may also reiterate the concerns expressed at its 975th session over the growing peace and security threats to development in Africa, including the diversion of development financing to address security threats.

On 16 December, the PSC and UNSC will have their 6th informal joint seminar, ahead of the 15th annual consultative meeting scheduled to take place on 17 December. It is to be recalled that the 5th informal joint seminar took place on 29 September 2020, during which the two Councils discussed strengthening cooperation with a focus on improving working methods as well as Silencing the Guns in Africa. At the 14th annual consultative meeting convened on 30 September 2020 the two Councils considered country/region specific issues including Mali, the Sahel region and Somalia. In addition to following up on developments in these country and region specific situations, the upcoming joint consultative meeting may also consider other emerging peace and security situations.

Between 19 and 21 December the PSC will have a joint retreat with the APRM in Durban. This is in line with previous PSC decision of its 914th and 962nd sessions, which requested the AUC in close collaboration with the APRM secretariat to organize a joint retreat for the two organs.

The last session of the month is scheduled to take place on 28 December. The session will be a briefing on the relationship between South Sudan and Sudan, including the status of Abyei. Since Council’s last meeting on the status of Abyei, which took place on 24 November 2020, some positive developments have been observed in the relationship between the two Sudans. Regarding the contested status of the oil-rich region of Abyei, a significant progress has been the establishment of high-level committees on both sides to review past agreements and pave the way for negotiations aimed at settling the final status of Abyei. Council may take note of this progress at the upcoming session and encourage both sides to continue working towards negotiations. It may also follow up on the decisions of its previous (966th) session, including its request for the AU Commission to develop modalities for releasing the report on the killing of Chief Koul Deng Koul of the Ngok Dinka and to dispatch a sensitisation mission to Abyei to engage the local community on the report, with the aim of facilitating reconciliation.

Council’s provisional program of work for the month also indicates in footnotes the possibility of convening sessions on Chad, Guinea, Mali, and/or Sudan depending on the development of situations in one or more of these States.

In November, Egypt will be the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). The PSC’s provisional programme of work for the month envisages four sessions dedicated to thematic issues, one country specific session and a joint consultative meeting with the United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Commission (UNPBC). As a conclusion to Council’s activities of the month, a press conference by the PSC Chairperson is scheduled to take place on 30 November.

The first activity the PSC will be undertaking during the month is the meeting between the PSC Chair and the African three elected members of UN Security Council (UNSC) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (A3+1), scheduled to take place on 1 November. It is to be recalled that at its 983rd session on the unified role of the A3, Council made some concrete decisions aimed at improving the role played by the A3 in advancing common African positions on African peace and security issues which are on the agenda of the UNSC. One of the key decisions emerging from that session was to have monthly consultations between the PSC Troika and the A3, in order to ensure provision of timely updates and guidance to the A3 on African peace and security issues ahead of UNSC meetings. At the 13th PSC Retreat which took place in May 2021 in Mombasa, it was further reiterated that the incoming Chair of the PSC shall convene monthly meetings with the Coordinator of the A3 and that these meetings shall be reinforced with quarterly meetings at the level of the PSC Troika and the A3 as whole. The upcoming meeting therefore takes place within the framework of these decisions and could also contribute to preparations being made for the upcoming joint consultative meeting of the PSC and UNSC.

The PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) will be convening on November 2 to prepare for the planned filed mission to Somalia as well as for engagement with UNSC experts at the upcoming annual joint consultative meeting between the PSC and UNSC.

On 5 November, Council will convene its first substantive session, which will focus on the protection of medical personnel and facilities in armed conflicts. The session is likely initiated in response to the growing trend of attacks against medical personnel and facilities observed in conflict affected areas globally, most of these being concentrated in west and central Africa. Reports signify that in the period from 2016 to 2021, over 1000 reported cases of attacks against health workers and medical facilities have been recorded in west and central Africa. Particularly, in Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria, a concerning surge in such attacks has resulted in suspension of medical activities, constraining peoples’ access to healthcare, an issue compounded further by outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PSC is scheduled to undertake a field mission to Somalia from 9 to 10 November.

On 12 November the PSC is set to consider three agenda items. In the morning session the PSC will receive a briefing on AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD). This will be the second session on the theme to take place within this year, in line with PSC’s 2021 indicative annual programme of activities, which envisages convening twice to review PCRD efforts in the continent. It is to be recalled that the first meeting on the theme took place at Council’s 1017th meeting convened in August, with a focus on AU support to member States in political transition and in post-conflict situations. At the upcoming session, Council may follow up on some of its key decisions made at the 1017th session, mainly on the reactivation of the PSC Sub-Committee on PCRD and its request for the Chairperson of the AU Commission to submit a comprehensive report on implementation of PCRD activities in Africa.

In the afternoon of 12 November, Council will convene its joint consultative meeting with the UNPBC. It is to be recalled that the two bodies had their last annual consultative meeting in October 2020, where country specific, regional and thematic peace and security issues of common concern were discussed. The upcoming meeting provides the stage for further reflection on these issues and to exchange ideas on how the AUPSC and UNPBC can further consolidate collaborations on peacebuilding in Africa, particularly taking account of the need to give effect to the contents of the Common African Position on the 2020 Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture adopted at Council’s 948th session.

The consideration and adoption of the draft programme of work for the month of December is also expected to take place on 12 November, through email exchanges.

The next PSC session is scheduled for 15 November, although the date is yet to be confirmed. The session is planned to take place at the ministerial level and will be committed to the theme of countering radicalism and extremist ideologies in Africa. In October 2021, Council already convened a ministerial level session to consider the report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on continental efforts in the prevention and combating of terrorism in Africa. This trend demonstrates that the PSC is giving much needed attention to the interconnected concern of radicalisation, extremism and terrorism, which are intensifying, in some parts of the continent.

On 17 November, Council will be convening to receive a briefing on the situation in Libya. In May 2021, Council convened a ministerial session on Libya (997th meeting) where the AU Commission was requested to provide regular progress reports on the implementation of AU decisions aimed at supporting the Libyan transitional process. The upcoming briefing could therefore highlight, among others, the status of preparations for the planned general elections, particularly regarding finalization of all necessary constitutional frameworks, and more generally, the challenges and progresses in the implementation of the October 2020 Ceasefire Agreement.

The final substantive session of the month will be convened on 26 November, addressing climate change and peace and security in Africa. The session is a timely one provided that the current year has seen increasing impacts of and corresponding concerns over climate change. It is also to be recalled that one of the agenda items of Council’s 984th session convened at the summit level was dedicated to climate change and its effects on peace and security in Africa. At that session, decisions were adopted including establishing an AU special fund on climate change. In addition, the AU Commission was requested to submit a report elaborating the nexus between climate change and peace and security in Africa and also to provide updates regarding the appointment of AU Special Envoy for climate change and security. The upcoming session presents the opportunity to also follow up on these decisions.

As envisaged in the footnotes of Council’s indicative programme of work for the month, meetings may be scheduled as needed, to assess situations in Chad, Guinea, Mali, Somalia and Sudan, countries currently facing pressing peace and security challenges. The footnotes also indicate that the 12th Annual Retreat of AU High Representatives is expected to take place from 1 to 3 November and engagement of PSC CoE with UNSC Experts as well as preparations for the PSC-UNSC annual joint consultative meeting is to continue in New York, from 22 to 24 November.

In October, Mozambique will assume the chairship of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). The Council’s provisional programme of work for the month envisages six substantive sessions, including two address country specific issues. The program of work also envisages a Ministerial session and a Heads of State and Government level meeting.

On 4 October the Committee of Experts is expected to meet to prepare on four agenda items: the 5th joint retreat and 13th annual joint consultative meeting with the European Union Political and Security Committee (EUPSC), the 6th joint seminar and 16th annual consultative meeting with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the 8th High Level Seminar and the PSC Heads of State and Government level meeting expected to be held at the end of October.

The first substantive session of the month is expected to take place on 5 October. Three agenda items are tabled for the Council to consider during this session. The first two agenda items are postponed from the previous month. The first agenda item will be consideration of strategic priorities for the utilisation of the AU Peace Fund. It is to be recalled that the PSC Committee of Experts convened considered this agenda item in August under Cameroon’s chairship. The upcoming session could hence serve to update Council which types of peace and security initiatives the Committee of Experts has identified as priority areas to receive funding through the three thematic windows of the Peace Fund.

The second agenda item is dedicated to the consideration of a zero draft African consensus paper on the financing of AU-led peace support operations (PSOs) using UN assessed contributions. The submission of the draft was requested at Council’s 986th session, where the AU Commission was requested to develop a paper presenting common African position for funding of AU PSOs through UN assessed contributions. Both agenda items are expected to be presented by the Chairperson of the PSC Committee of Experts for August 2021, Cameroon.

The third one is an update on the situation in Guinea. The upcoming session is expected to assess the political developments in Guinea in light of the PSC’s decisions taken at its 1030th session that took place on 10 September 2021. In that session, it is to be recalled that the PSC threatened to impose targeted sanctions against coup plotters upon failing to comply with the demands of the Council for the military to return to the barracks, uphold principle of constitutionalism, and refrain from further political interference. A major development of interest to the Council since its last session on that country is the announcement of a transitional charter by the military junta on 28 September outlining the transitional organs and their respective duties.

On 7 October, the Council will convene its second substantive session to receive a briefing on the situation in Somalia and the activities of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). This session comes at the backdrop of the latest political turmoil that gripped Somalia after fallout between Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo over the death of an intelligence agent. As this session will be convened few days before the presidential election which is set for 10 October, it is an opportunity for the Council to assess the political and security context within which the election is to take place with the view to ensuring a credible and peaceful presidential election, as well as preventing electoral violence. In relation to AMISOM, the Council is likely to receive update on the activities of AMISOM particularly in the areas of joint military operations with Somali National Army (SNA), electoral assistance provided to the 2021 elections, as well as support provided to the implementation of the Somali Transition Plan (STP). The Council may also follow up on the progress towards developing the joint CONOPS for the new ‘AU Transition Mission post-2021’.

The PSC Committee of Experts will convene on 11 October, to consider a proposed outline for the PSC Report, which is to be submitted to the AU Assembly during the January/February 2022 AU Summit.

On 12 October, the PSC will consider and adopt its program of work for the month of November, which will be circulated via email to all members of Council for comments and feedback.

The PSC is also scheduled to convene a meeting on 19 October to assess the implementation of its Work Plans of 2020-2021: Achievements, Challenges and Way forward. On the same date, Council will also meet to prepare for the Annual Joint Consultative Meetings with the EUPSC and UNSC.

On 21 October, the Council will meet at a ministerial level to consider the report of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on continental efforts in prevention and combating of terrorism in Africa. The report is in line with the Assembly decision (/AU/Dec.311 (XV)) of its 15th Ordinary Session, held in July 2010, which, inter alia, requested the Commission to submit regular reports on the status of the fight and cooperation against terrorism in Africa. Since then, the Council has been convening annual sessions on the theme including the last one at its 957th meeting that took place on 20 October 2020. The Chairperson’s report is expected to facilitate deliberations of the Council by highlighting an outlook of the state of terrorism in Africa and the continental efforts to address the scourge.

On 26 October, the PSC is expected to hold an open session dedicated to the commemoration of the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1325, a landmark resolution on women, peace and security which underscores the importance of women’s equal participation and full engagement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security. Over the years, the Council has held annual commemorative sessions on the adoption of this resolution under different themes and this year’s session is expected to take place under the theme: ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Women, Peace and Security Agenda’.

The last session of the month is scheduled to take place on 29 October at the level of Heads of State and Government, the first summit level meeting since 9 March 2021, to address the issue of disaster management in Africa and the challenges and perspectives for human security. The continent is confronted with a surge in the occurrence of many disasters notably climate related disaster, diseases and pandemics, and conflicts that have impacted human security in multiple ways. The disasters, which is further compounded by the outbreak of COVID-19, have caused loss of lives, displacement, and massive damages and destruction of infrastructure. While the convening of the session at a summit level shows the magnitude of the problem and the political weight attached to the theme, it is also an opportunity for the Council to critically reflect on what the increasing trend of disasters mean to human security in Africa, the available institutional and normative frameworks to address the issue at a continental level, and how best to respond to the mounting challenges posed by disasters.

The provisional program of work for the month also indicates in footnotes the possibility of holding a session to consider the report of the AU Assessment Mission to The Comoros at a date and time yet to be confirmed. The footnotes also indicate that there could be a retreat of the PSC Committee of Experts on the status of implementation of PSC decisions, on a date also to be determined.