Peace & Security Council Report

The November 2022 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines political instability in Tunisia, counter-terrorism strategies in the Sahel, and the security risks posed by acute food insecurity across Africa.

• Tunisia has experienced significant political shifts over 18 months, including President Kais Saied's July 2021 dismissal of the prime minister and suspension of parliament. Critics argue these actions, along with presidential decrees and the arrest of opposition leaders, represent a drift toward authoritarianism and a violation of the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).
• The African Union (AU) primarily applies sanctions for unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs) in the form of military coups, but has not yet sanctioned member states for illegal constitutional amendments or revisions. The report suggests the AU needs to clarify its interpretation of ACDEG Article 23(5) regarding whether illegal amendments constitute a UCG.
• Counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel are hindered by violent extremists who gain support by providing protection and economic opportunities where state policies have restricted livelihoods. The report emphasizes that military operations must focus on civilian protection and the disruption of supply chains, such as the illicit trade in livestock, gold, and motorbikes, rather than solely targeting leadership.
• The AU is encouraged to revive the Nouakchott process, established in 2013 for regional security cooperation, and collaborate with the Accra Initiative, founded in 2017 by Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. These efforts should be paired with investments in governance and basic services to address the root causes of extremism.
• Acute food insecurity affects approximately 140 million people in Africa, with over 50 million in the Horn of Africa alone as of 2022. This scarcity, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and climate shocks, is identified as a peace and security risk that can trigger protests and political instability, as seen previously in Sudan and South Africa.
• Africa's food security is heavily dependent on imports; between 2018 and 2020, the continent imported approximately $5.1 billion worth of wheat from Russia and Ukraine. The report recommends the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the 2014 Malabo Declaration to build agricultural resilience.

APA

Sirengo, E., Mahdi, M., & Kwarkye, S. (2022). Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/psc-152.pdf

Chicago

Sirengo, Elizabeth, Maram Mahdi, and Sampson Kwarkye. Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2022. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/psc-152.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sirengo |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Mahdi |first2=Maram |last3=Kwarkye |first3=Sampson |title=Peace & Security Council Report |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=November 2022 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/psc-152.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sirengo2022peace, author = {Sirengo, Elizabeth and Mahdi, Maram and Kwarkye, Sampson}, title = {{Peace \& Security Council Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/psc-152.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }