Peace & Security Council Report

This August 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) handling of the political transition in Chad, the diplomatic divide over Israel's accreditation to the AU, and the coordination of military interventions in Mozambique. It also provides commentary on the geopolitical rivalry between Western powers and China/Russia in Africa and an interview on the role of culture in peacebuilding.

• The African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) has adopted a pragmatic approach toward the military transitional committee (MTC) in Chad, prioritizing regional stability over its own normative frameworks. Despite noting the "unconstitutional nature of the MTC takeover" following the death of Idriss Déby on 19 April 2021, the PSC decided not to suspend Chad or impose sanctions, instead supporting a transition it requested be limited to 18 months.
• The transition in Chad is marked by a concentration of power in the MTC and its chairman, Mahamat Idriss Déby, which threatens the creation of credible post-transition institutions. The MTC has demonstrated its influence by rejecting the AU's proposed special envoy, Ibrahima Fall, in favor of Basile Ikouébé, and by maintaining provisions in the transitional charter that allow for an 18-month extension and the eligibility of MTC members to stand for election.
• The African Union is divided over the accreditation of Israel, with 21 member states opposing the decision made by AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. Opponents, including members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the League of Arab States, argue the move contradicts the AU's political stance on Palestine and ignores procedural requirements for consultation. The final decision is scheduled for the Executive Council meeting on 13 and 14 October 2021.
• Military interventions in Mozambique to combat violent extremists in Cabo Delgado have highlighted a lack of coordination between the AU, SADC, and individual member states. Rwanda deployed 1,000 troops and police independently before the arrival of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), a move described as "regrettable" by SADC's outgoing executive secretary. The PSC has not yet formally discussed the Mozambique situation, as the country insisted it was a SADC matter.
• A geopolitical rivalry exists between Western powers (France, UK, US) and China and Russia regarding the norms of the world order in Africa. While the West promotes a "human-centred world order based on liberal values," China and Russia advocate for a "state-centred approach" emphasizing sovereignty. This dichotomy is evident in the UN Security Council's handling of the Tigray crisis in Ethiopia, where African states often align with the state-centred view to protect their own territorial integrity.
• Professor Hamady Bocoum argues that African peace and reconciliation can be achieved through the "civilisations of encounter and dialogue" rather than arms. He suggests that the AU's 2021 theme of culture, arts, and heritage should be used to erase colonial political borders and that the continent should establish its own independent heritage list to promote unity and tourism.

APA

Diatta, M., Woldemichael, S., Handy, P.-S., & Louw-Vaudran, L. (2021). Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-138.pdf

Chicago

Diatta, Mohamed, Shewit Woldemichael, Paul-Simon Handy, and Liesl Louw-Vaudran. Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2021. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-138.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Diatta |first1=Mohamed |last2=Woldemichael |first2=Shewit |last3=Handy |first3=Paul-Simon |last4=Louw-Vaudran |first4=Liesl |title=Peace & Security Council Report |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=August 2021 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-138.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{diatta2021peace, author = {Diatta, Mohamed and Woldemichael, Shewit and Handy, Paul-Simon and Louw-Vaudran, Liesl}, title = {{Peace \& Security Council Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-138.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }