Latest news with #PeaceAndSecurity
South China Morning Post
19-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How China ‘leapfrogs' other nations to build close African trade and military ties
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month highlighted Beijing's 'leapfrog development' in ties with African countries in the 25 years since the setting up of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Advertisement Addressing a FOCAC ministerial event on June 11, Wang noted that trade had surged nearly 30-fold while Chinese investment had grown almost 100-fold since the strategic dialogue mechanism was set up in 2000. In parallel to closer economic ties, there has also been increased cooperation on the security front. Before FOCAC, which includes all but one of the 54 African nations, China had not conducted any military drills in Africa , accounted for less than 5 per cent of African weapons inventories and had fewer than 200 African officers in its military schools. The Young Leaders Conference of China-Africa Peace and Security Forum, another FOCAC-related event, hosted about 90 military officers from over 40 African nations this week in Nanjing. Advertisement The five-day event from July 15 was hosted by China's defence ministry and organised by its Army Command College. According to the ministry, the event aimed to 'implement the outcomes' of last year's FOCAC summit in Beijing and to strengthen 'consensus, solidarity, and cooperation' on peace and security.
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Official Launch of the African Union Fellowship Programme on Disarmament and Non- Proliferation
The African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Bankole Adeoye, on behalf of H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the Commission officially launched the African Union Fellowship Programme on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation on 15 July 2025. He was joined by Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council for the month of July and Amb. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union. The AU Fellowship Programme was established following the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council in May 2024 and it represents not only a training initiative but a strategic investment in nurturing the next generation of African peacemakers, negotiators, and disarmament specialists. The programme is designed to equip participants with knowledge on multilateral arms control frameworks, sharpen their diplomatic negotiation skills, and strengthen their capacity to broker mutual agreements between and among states. These efforts are intended to advance regional stability, limit the proliferation of weapons and promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology in Africa with the over-arching view to contribute to global peace and security. The target groups for the programme include diplomats from AU Member States, AU Special Envoys, High Representatives, Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the Commission, AU Mediators, Heads of AU Missions and other Strategic-level Leaders. It also extends to individuals working in the disarmament field across Africa, as well as representatives from civil society, academia, policy makers, practitioners, and international partners. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
Zawya
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) permanent representatives committee confers with the commissioner of political affairs, peace and security
The Standing Committee on Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) conferred with the ECOWAS Commission's Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah on the 10th of July 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria. Discussions centred on ways of consolidating the existing collaboration between the PRC and the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security as well as the enhancement of strategic information flow and implementation of decisions by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. Led by His Excellency Musa Sani Nuhu, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS, the Ambassadors expressed great appreciation to the Commissioner and the Department for the strong and close partnership in working together over the last three years on matters of peace and stability in West Africa. On his part, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah congratulated the Sierra Leonean High Commissioner, His Excellency Julius Sandy on his country's ascension to Chairmanship of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and noted that the need for constant interactions with the ambassadors cannot be overemphasised. The Commissioner who was flanked by the Director, Peace Keeping and Regional Security (DPKRS) Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom, Gen. Mactar Diop, Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force and staff of the Department stressed that high-pitched attention will continue to be paid to the work of the Department owing to its strategic role in providing responses to core issues of sustainable peace, security, stability and regional integration. He further harped on the need to have an organic and structured way of feeding into the decision-making processes that are also binding on stakeholders, similar to the arrangements at the United Nations and the African Union. 'There is a need to think regionally. We need that two-way communication between the Department and Member States. How do we contribute as a Department to make sure that the PRC achieves its goals. The forum is therefore something to embrace as it creates an avenue to exchange ideas for the benefit of our region' The Commissioner added. Members of the Permanent Representatives assured the Department and ECOWAS of their continuous cooperation to move the region forward Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
