psc78_eng-c36a5529d3be6fec.pdf

This March 2016 issue of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) Report, published by the Institute for Security Studies, analyzes the effectiveness of the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council. It examines the limited impact of the PSC's open sessions on migration and natural resources, the socio-economic recovery and security challenges in Somalia, and the policy failures regarding the proposed military intervention in Burundi. Additionally, it features an interview with mediator Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah on the AU's capacity to resolve conflicts.

• The Peace and Security Council's (PSC) open sessions on thematic issues, such as migration and natural resources, are characterized as public relations exercises with limited policy impact because they lack real dialogue and result in non-binding press statements rather than communiqués.
• In February 2016, the PSC discussed the link between natural resources and conflict, with the council stating that "fairness, transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources is critical to preventing conflict and promoting sustainable development in Africa". While Oxfam proposed a binding African Mining Charter, the PSC instead emphasized the role of states in developing legal frameworks as requested by the African Mining Vision.
• The PSC and its partners discussed forced migration in February 2016, with the council identifying poverty, conflict, and lack of opportunities as primary drivers. Some member states, including Algeria and Chad, criticized European Union migration policies for being too focused on security responses rather than root causes.
• Somalia has shown signs of socio-economic recovery, with Mogadishu's airport seeing approximately 1,500 travellers per day and the port attracting more international shipping. However, the lack of formal financial institutions means money flows primarily through unregulated 'hawala' schemes and mobile telephony, which are exploited by al-Shabaab to channel finances.
• The AU's decision to suspend the deployment of the African Mission for Prevention and Protection in Burundi (MAPROBU) in January 2016 highlights the challenges of implementing Article 4(h) of the AU Constitutive Act, as heads of state were unwilling to intervene without the host government's consent.
• The principle of subsidiarity, where regional mechanisms lead crisis management, can be a liability when those bodies fail or lack a common approach, as seen with the East African Community's inability to halt elections in Burundi.
• The PSC's reliance on consensus often functions as a requirement for unanimity, which can dilute national accountability and allow a single dissenting voice to block action, as occurred with Tanzania's reservations regarding the mission to Burundi.
• Veteran mediator Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah asserts that the AU lacks the material and financial capacity to act as a 'gendarme' for conflict resolution, stating that the organization has been given mandates and responsibilities that do not align with international relations realities.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). psc78_eng-c36a5529d3be6fec.pdf. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC78_ENG.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. psc78_eng-c36a5529d3be6fec.pdf. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC78_ENG.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=psc78_eng-c36a5529d3be6fec.pdf |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC78_ENG.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndpsc78engc36a5529d3be6fecpdf, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{psc78\_eng-c36a5529d3be6fec.pdf}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC78_ENG.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }