Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17

The Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17, published by the Institute for Security Studies in December 2010, provides an analysis of security issues in West Africa, specifically focusing on political instability and elections in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. It also reviews the operational progress of the African Standby Force (ASF) through Exercise AMANI Africa, the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty for a nuclear-weapon-free Africa, and continental and regional strategies to combat drug trafficking.

• Benin experienced significant socio-political turbulence following a financial scandal involving ICC-Services, which allegedly defrauded citizens of an estimated 100 Billion CFA (152 Million Euro). The crisis was exacerbated by the kidnapping and suspected death of Finance Ministry official Pierre Urbain Dagnivo, leading to street protests and a ban on demonstrations by the government.
• Côte d’Ivoire held a presidential election on 31 October 2010 with a high voter turnout of 80 percent, which was seen as a step toward ending the crisis triggered by the September 2002 civil war. However, the report notes that lasting peace depends on the 28 November run-off election and the future government's ability to address national reconciliation, impunity, and security sector reforms.
• Guinea faced severe post-election violence following the 7 November 2010 presidential run-off, where interim results gave Alpha Condé 52.52 percent and Cellou Dalein Diallo 47.48 percent. The situation was marked by ethnic polarization, particularly between the Peul and Malinké groups, and reports of excessive force by security forces, including 'red beret' soldiers.
• Exercise AMANI Africa, a Command Post Exercise held in Addis Ababa in October 2010, served as a test for the operational readiness of the African Standby Force (ASF). While deemed a 'significant step', the exercise revealed gaps in personnel knowledge of legal rules, a lack of clarity regarding the ASF's role in humanitarian action, and tensions between the AU's mandate and the sovereign authority of member states to release troops.
• The Treaty of Pelindaba, which entered into force on 15 July 2009 after Burundi became the 28th party to ratify, aims to establish Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone. A conference in November 2010 worked toward establishing the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), with its headquarters to be located in South Africa.
• Drug trafficking has increased in Africa since mid-2000, with West Africa serving as a major route for cocaine from South America to Europe, and East Africa as a route for heroin from Southwest Asia. The report identifies weak law enforcement, judicial systems, and porous borders as primary facilitators of this trade.
• The African Union's 'Revised AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2007-2012)' identifies seven priority areas, including institutional capacity building for law enforcement and the mainstreaming of drug concerns into development strategies. Implementation is hindered by limited political will and inadequate resources.
• Regional bodies like ECOWAS and SADC have developed their own drug control frameworks. ECOWAS established a Drug Control and Crime Prevention Division and a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Centre (ECPCJS), while SADC implemented a five-year drug control programme focusing on supply and demand reduction.

APA

Kent-Brown, D., Dersso, S. A., Lulie, H., Yosef, E. Y., & Zounmenou, D. (2010). Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCReportDec10.pdf

Chicago

Kent-Brown, Duke, Solomon Ayele Dersso, Hallelujah Lulie, Eden Yohannes Yosef, and David Zounmenou. Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17. Institute for Security Studies, 2010. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCReportDec10.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kent-Brown |first1=Duke |last2=Dersso |first2=Solomon Ayele |last3=Lulie |first3=Hallelujah |last4=Yosef |first4=Eden Yohannes |last5=Zounmenou |first5=David |title=Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17 |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=December 2010 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCReportDec10.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kentbrown2010peace, author = {Kent-Brown, Duke and Dersso, Solomon Ayele and Lulie, Hallelujah and Yosef, Eden Yohannes and Zounmenou, David}, title = {{Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2010}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSCReportDec10.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }