Peace & Security Council Report

The report evaluates the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) as it marks 20 years of operation, critiquing its tendency toward ceremonialism over deep expert reflection. It analyzes UN Resolution 2719, which allows AU-led peace support operations to access UN-assessed contributions, specifically discussing its potential application in Somalia, the DRC, and Sudan. Additionally, it urges stronger continental coordination for the UN's Pact for the Future and argues that the AU should leverage its diplomatic position to mediate the Israel-Hamas conflict to protect Africa's economic stability and global influence.

• The Peace and Security Council (PSC) is commemorating its 20th anniversary with an agenda of 18 thematic sessions and 27 events in 2024, including field visits to the Sahel and Ethiopia's Tigray region. However, the report warns that the 'Davos format' of sessions and a tendency to 'stand in its old boots' may result in a lack of substantive impact and insufficient attention to ongoing crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• UN Security Council Resolution 2719 allows the AU to access UN-assessed contributions for peace support operations (PSOs), with the UN contributing 75% and the remaining 25% jointly mobilised. There is significant debate over whether this should be used to create a new post-ATMIS mission in Somalia to prevent a security vacuum after the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) exits in December 2024.
• Beyond Somalia, the report identifies several prospective AU-UN operations under Resolution 2719, including a mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to counter M23 rebels, a mission in Sudan to facilitate a ceasefire and humanitarian access, and operations in Mozambique (Cabo Delgado) and Coastal West Africa (northern Benin) to prevent Islamist militancy.
• Africa lacks a comprehensive structure to achieve continental consensus for the UN's Pact for the Future, which is slated for adoption in September 2024. The report argues that the PSC should coordinate African input to ensure priorities regarding global governance reform and sustainable financing for regional PSOs are reflected in the final document.
• The Israel-Hamas conflict poses indirect risks to Africa, including trade disruptions, oil and gas price volatility, and the diversion of international attention and funding away from African crises. The report suggests the AU leverage its relations with both Palestine and Israel to mediate the release of hostages and encourage a ceasefire.
• Mauritania, as the 2024 AU chair, prioritizes security, education, health, digitalization, food sovereignty, and climate change. The Mauritanian leadership emphasizes the need for the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) to be integrated into broader institutional reforms and calls for partnerships based on mutual benefit rather than charity.

APA

Kinkoh, H., Sirengo, E., Belay, T., Soumahoro, M., Mahdi, M., & Atta-Asamoah, A. (2024). Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719995036122-PSC-Report-168.pdf

Chicago

Kinkoh, Hubert, Elizabeth Sirengo, Tsion Belay, Moussa Soumahoro, Maram Mahdi, and Andrews Atta-Asamoah. Peace & Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2024. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719995036122-PSC-Report-168.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{kinkoh2024peace, author = {Kinkoh, Hubert and Sirengo, Elizabeth and Belay, Tsion and Soumahoro, Moussa and Mahdi, Maram and Atta-Asamoah, Andrews}, title = {{Peace \& Security Council Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1719995036122-PSC-Report-168.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }