Peace & Security Council Report

The March 2026 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the outcomes of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit, the composition and normative challenges of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), and the adoption of a new memorandum of understanding to coordinate the Africa Standby Force (ASF).

• The 39th Ordinary Summit of the African Union, held February 14-15, 2026, in Addis Ababa, resulted in 39 decisions, 18 declarations, and two resolutions across six thematic areas, including peace and security and institutional reform. While the summit focused on water sustainability and reparatory justice, it faced a persistent gap between "ambitious pronouncements" and "persistent implementation gaps" regarding continental security.
• The AU's commitment to its zero-tolerance stance on unconstitutional changes of government is questioned due to the lifting of suspensions for Gabon and Guinea-Conakry after juntas won elections. The report describes this as a "desperation to whitewash unconstitutional changes of government despite its principles," noting that Gabon's election to the PSC may violate Article 5(2g) of the PSC protocol regarding respect for constitutional governance.
• The AU adopted a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the AU and regional economic communities and regional mechanisms (RECs/RMs) to address coordination gaps in the Africa Standby Force (ASF). The MoU introduces a structured mandate framework where RECs/RMs must undertake "early consultations with the AU" for missions and provides a process for the generation of pledged capabilities through coordinated consultation.
• The Peace and Security Council (PSC) faces a crisis of normative integrity and influence. More than half of its current members are considered "not free" according to Freedom House 2025 data. The report suggests the PSC must rethink its influence by leveraging coercive measures and sanctions against "spoilers of peace" in Sudan and the DRC, rather than only suspending perpetrators of military coups.
• Burundi assumed the AU rotating chairship in February 2026, focusing on three priorities: peace and security, the theme of the year, and youth, women and innovation. Despite concerns over its small size and GDP (US$3.6 billion), the report argues Burundi is well-positioned to succeed due to its experience as a troop contributor and its role as the AU special envoy for the Sahel since July 2025.
• The AU continues to recognize the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as a member, despite a decline in support, with only about 32% of member states maintaining active recognition. This contrasts with UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (October 2025), which endorsed Morocco's 2007 autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.

APA

Ani, N. C., Soumahoro, M., Simakoloyi, Z., Zeyede, T., & Eldandarawy, O. (2026). Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779801042978-psc-report-183-v2.pdf

Chicago

Ani, Ndubuisi Christian, Moussa Soumahoro, Zenge Simakoloyi, Tamrat Zeyede, and Obaida Eldandarawy. Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779801042978-psc-report-183-v2.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{ani2026peace, author = {Ani, Ndubuisi Christian and Soumahoro, Moussa and Simakoloyi, Zenge and Zeyede, Tamrat and Eldandarawy, Obaida}, title = {{Peace \& Security Council Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1779801042978-psc-report-183-v2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }