PSC Report

This January 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides an analysis of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) activities, focusing on political transitions in Egypt, the security situation in Somalia, and the internal functioning of AU mechanisms for democracy and military coordination.

• Egypt's November 2011 parliamentary elections resulted in a victory for the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which won 36 percent of the vote, and the Salafist Al-Nour party, which won around 24 percent. This outcome raised concerns among liberal groups and the military regarding the potential 'Islamisation of the state' and the rights of minorities.
• Tensions in Egypt escalated in December 2011 when the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) initially announced it would oversee the drafting of the new constitution and that election results did not fully represent the public. Although SCAF later reversed its decision to name 80 of the 100 members of the Constituent Assembly, mistrust remains between the military, Islamists, and secular liberals.
• In Somalia, Al Shabaab transitioned from conventional ground battles to guerilla-style operations and suicide bombings after withdrawing from Mogadishu in August 2011. Between late November and mid-December 2011, 17 bomb attacks attributed to Al Shabaab occurred in Mogadishu, indicating that the group's capability to carry out attacks remains intact.
• The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is implementing a three-phase Concept of Operations (CONOPS). The first phase aims for a force strength of 12,000 troops; the second phase involves an expansion by an additional 8,000 troops to expand operations into other areas of Somalia; and the third phase envisions a transition to a UN peacekeeping operation within 12 to 24 months.
• The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2023 on 5 December 2011 to tighten sanctions on Eritrea, condemning its support for armed opposition groups including Al Shabaab and its use of a 'Diaspora tax' to destabilize the Horn of Africa region.
• The African Union's response to the North African uprisings revealed a tension between its commitments to human security and state security, with a perceived preoccupation with state-centric stability over democracy and human rights. This has led to calls for strengthening AU mechanisms and introducing credible sanctions for violations of democracy and human rights.
• The AU Military Staff Committee (MSC) has been underperforming due to chronic understaffing and inadequate representation of PSC member states. For example, in 2004, 2007, and 2010, fewer than all 15 member states provided the required Defence Attachés, and attendance at many MSC meetings has been below fifty percent.
• Kenya's military intervention in Somalia, which began in mid-October 2011, is aimed at defeating Al Shabaab and establishing a buffer zone. On 7 December 2011, Kenya's cabinet and parliament approved the move to bring its forces under AMISOM command.

APA

Dersso, D. S. A., Lulie, M. H., & Aynate, M. A. (2012). PSC Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCNo30Dec2011.pdf

Chicago

Dersso, Dr. Solomon Ayele, Mr. Hallelujah Lulie, and Mr. Abebe Aynate. PSC Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2012. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCNo30Dec2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dersso |first1=Dr. Solomon Ayele |last2=Lulie |first2=Mr. Hallelujah |last3=Aynate |first3=Mr. Abebe |title=PSC Report |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=January 2012 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCNo30Dec2011.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dersso2012psc, author = {Dersso, Dr. Solomon Ayele and Lulie, Mr. Hallelujah and Aynate, Mr. Abebe}, title = {{PSC Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2012}, month = jan, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCNo30Dec2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }