Peace and Security Council Report No 162

The October 2023 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic weaknesses of the African Union (AU), the escalating conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region, the challenges facing the AU Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and the broader implications of withdrawing peacekeepers from African conflicts. It also discusses the AU's new membership in the G20.

• The African Union (AU) is exhibiting systemic weaknesses similar to its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), primarily because member states prioritize national sovereignty over the empowerment of a supranational body. This has resulted in an African Union Commission (AUC) that lacks autonomy, is understaffed—with only 1,000 permanent staff for 55 countries—and is heavily dependent on external funding, as member states contribute less than 40% of the budget.
• Since April 2023, the Amhara region of Ethiopia has experienced significant political violence and armed conflict between the federal government and Fano ethnic militias. The crisis was triggered by the government's plan to integrate regional special forces into national security institutions, a move resisted by Amhara political organizations. The federal government declared a state of emergency in the region on 3 August 2023.
• The AU Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) faces a precarious drawdown scheduled for December 2024. The process has been hampered by financial deficits—approximately US$10.6 million as of April 2023—and a lack of confidence in the Somali National Army's (SNA) ability to maintain security against al-Shabaab. Furthermore, the Somali government's decision to request a technical pause on troop withdrawals directly from the UN Security Council is viewed as a snub to the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).
• The withdrawal of peacekeeping missions in Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia has frequently led to increased insecurity and violence, suggesting that Africa lacks the capacity to fill the resulting security vacuums. The report notes that the African Standby Force has not been utilized despite two decades of investment, and current regional or domestic military alternatives have proven inadequate.
• The AU's entry into the G20 (forming the 'G21') provides an opportunity for Africa to influence global policy on trade, climate, and inflation, representing 55 countries with a combined GDP of US$3.2 trillion. However, the AU must navigate complex power dynamics and the challenge of formulating a common position among diverse member states to avoid becoming a token representative of the global south.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Peace and Security Council Report No 162. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-162.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Peace and Security Council Report No 162. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-162.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Peace and Security Council Report No 162 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-162.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndpeace, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Peace and Security Council Report No 162}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC-Report-162.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }