Latest news with #PeaceandSecurityCouncil
Libya Review
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Libya's Crisis Returns to AU Agenda as Ceasefire Support Reaffirmed
The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) will convene tomorrow, Friday, in Sierra Leone to discuss the worsening situation in Libya during its 1280th session. The session will be opened by Ambassador Harold Saffa, Sierra Leone's Permanent Representative to the African Union and current chair of the Peace and Security Council for May. Senior AU officials are expected to deliver statements, including Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and Ambassador Wahida Ayari, the Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson for Libya. The meeting comes amid heightened political paralysis and security tension in Libya, following recent armed clashes in Tripoli and ongoing delays in organizing national elections and reconciliation initiatives. The AU is expected to restate its support for Libya's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and a Libyan-led political solution. According to Amani Africa, which specializes in African Union affairs, this is the first time the Council has formally addressed the Libyan file since November 2024. At that session, the AU reiterated its full support for the permanent ceasefire agreement signed on 23 October 2020 and affirmed its readiness to continue supporting Libya in overcoming its protracted crisis. The Peace and Security Council is also expected to revisit efforts to hold a long-awaited Libyan National Reconciliation Conference. A high-level AU delegation visited Libya in October 2024 in an attempt to revive the initiative. The delegation included the AU Chairperson and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the Congolese Foreign Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso. The reconciliation conference, initially scheduled for April 2024, was postponed indefinitely due to internal disagreements and logistical setbacks. The renewed AU attention to Libya follows recent violence in Tripoli, prompting the Ministry of Interior to call on residents to remain indoors for their safety. These events underscore the urgency for the AU to reassert a more active diplomatic role. Tags: AfricaAUlibyaLibyan CrisisSecurity Council
France 24
30-04-2025
- Politics
- France 24
African Union lifts sanctions against Gabon after political transition review
The African Union has lifted sanctions against Gabon, it said in a statement on Wednesday, after the central African nation was suspended from the organisation following a coup in August 2023. A meeting of the Peace and Security Council on Gabon's political transition 'reviewed the processes and found them to be generally successful', the AU's Political Affairs Peace and Security department said on X. The statement said Gabon would be welcome 'to immediately resume her participation in the activities' of the AU. Gabon was suspended when General Brice Oligui Nguema took power after overthrowing president Ali Bongo, whose family had been in power for 55 years. Nguema pledged to hand back the oil-rich country to civilian rule after a two-year transitional period, and was elected president in April with 94 percent of the vote. According to the new constitution, the president will lead the country with expanded powers. The decision by the AU to lift sanctions follows a meeting last year between Nguema and Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara, in which Nguema asked for support in lifting sanctions. The country of 2.3 million people has endured high unemployment, regular power and water shortages, and heavy government debt despite its oil riches.
Daily Maverick
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Anchor states benefit Africa's Peace and Security Council, but their dominance raises concerns
Recent Peace and Security Council elections revived debates about whether membership should favour inclusion and fairness or regional capacity and influence. The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) was modelled on the United Nations Security Council, with both having 15 member states. But unlike the UN Security Council, which has five permanent members who wield veto powers, the PSC's regional rotational membership, in theory, favours more equitable decision-making. However in practice, several countries have continuously served on the PSC, leading to perceptions that they are de facto permanent members. Nigeria has been on the council since its creation in 2004, while Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt and Uganda have each served five terms. Under the regional representation model, countries can retain their seats as long as their regions permit them to do so. Long-term membership enables continuity but also presents some challenges. Since certain states are increasingly seeking continuous council seats, it is worth weighing up the costs and benefits of a PSC in which regional 'anchor states' serve long terms. Article 5 of the PSC Protocol says all 55 AU member states have 'equal rights' to serve as council members, with article 5(1) promoting inclusion and equality. But in a seeming contradiction, article 5(2) spells out qualification criteria for members based largely on their capacity – effectively establishing exclusion conditions. Over the past two decades the PSC seems to have prioritised equal representation and rotation of members over countries' capacity. The outcome of the 12 February 2025 PSC elections revived the debate on the continuous membership of certain states. Institute for Security Studies' sources confirm that due to its late application, the Central African Republic lost out on the region's three-year seat to Cameroon, the sole applicant for central Africa. This effectively extended Cameroon's membership, suggesting it was becoming the region's equivalent of Nigeria – which has represented west Africa on the PSC for 20 years. The issue of dominant regional states also came up in the case of southern Africa. Despite a standing agreement that all regions submit one candidate based on alphabetic rotation, Eswatini and South Africa notified the PSC Secretariat and Office of the Legal Counsel of their interest in the three-year position – despite South Africa recently finishing its council term. Although Eswatini was given the nod, South Africa still discussed the possibility of serving with regional counterparts, raising questions about whether equal rights to PSC representation should be revisited. South Africa's bid for the three-year seat reflects its influence and contribution to regional and continental peace and security. The country was a major troop and finance contributor to the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) and the SADC Mission in Mozambique. Its contribution to SAMIDRC alone was about 2,900 military personnel at a cost of R2.4-billion in 2024. The impact of that role on the country was not just financial. As security in eastern DRC deteriorated early this year, 14 South African soldiers were killed, leading to repeated calls from within the country for a withdrawal of troops. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola countered that South Africa played an important role in maintaining peace and economic stability on the continent. South Africa's commitments suggest it is a regional hegemon capable of carrying out PSC responsibilities. Notwithstanding its status and appeal, the country respected the regional procedure and ceded to Eswatini. Cameroon made an equally compelling case to secure its PSC seat until 2028. The country's contribution of troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad Basin has been consistent since the force's reactivation in 2014. At a time when Niger has suspended its participation in the MNJTF and Chad has threatened to withdraw, Nigeria and Cameroon's continued resolve to combat Boko Haram confirms their commitment to peace and stability. The PSC decision in January 2025 to renew the MNJTF's mandate for another year suggests that Cameroon's presence on the council allows it to influence decision-making and implementation. While regional anchor states bring stability and continuity to the PSC, their dominance raises concerns, among them a potential conflict between national interests and regional stability. Nigeria and Cameroon, for example, are heavily involved in regional security operations, primarily in self-defence against threats such as Boko Haram. These efforts contribute to broader continental peace but also align with the two countries' national priorities, which may inadvertently bias PSC decisions. Regional anchor states could also advocate for policies that serve their immediate needs rather than those of the continent. Another concern is the disproportionate influence that long-serving states can exert on the council's agenda. This may lead to anchor states steering the council away from addressing domestic crises within their own borders. For example, despite ongoing internal conflicts in Cameroon, the country has not been discussed meaningfully by the PSC since 2008, except with regard to cross-border migration. Similarly, Nigeria has faced major internal security challenges, including human rights abuses during the #EndSARS protests in 2020. However, PSC discussions have focused largely on the MNJTF rather than governance concerns within Nigeria. The prolonged membership of regional anchor states could also create interstate tensions. Smaller or less-influential countries may feel excluded from PSC decision-making, which could damage regional cohesion. For instance, South Africa's attempt to extend its term sparked informal wrangling over whether the southern Africa region should follow alphabetical rotation or favour member-state capacity and influence in peacekeeping efforts. As the debate on whether certain states should be allowed a continued PSC presence gains impetus, a key consideration is whether countries have the capacity to contribute to Africa's peace and security. As the AU prepares to review its African Peace and Security Architecture, an assessment of the PSC and particularly member states' commitment to and capacity for peace operations and peacekeeping, should be prioritised. This will ensure that the PSC remains both representative and effective in fulfilling its mandate. DM
Ya Biladi
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Algeria and Libya compete for North Africa's seat on AU Peace and Security Council
The Executive Council of the African Union will convene for an extraordinary session this Tuesday, April 15, with the election of a new member to the Peace and Security Council (PSC) representing the North African group on the agenda. The seat is being contested by Algeria and Libya. Notably, Algeria failed to secure the required two-thirds majority last February to rejoin the PSC for a three-year term from 2025 to 2028. In preparation for the vote, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf has been in Ethiopia since Saturday. He is accompanied by Salma Mansouri, who is holding a series of meetings at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. Although recently appointed First Vice President of the African Union Commission, Mansouri is acting in her capacity as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of African affairs. The AU's Peace and Security Council, made up of 15 members elected for two- and three-year terms, plays a central role in managing crises across the continent.
Ya Biladi
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Algeria elected to African Union Peace and Security Council, replacing Morocco
On Tuesday, Algeria secured a seat on the African Union's Peace and Security Council, representing the North African region for a three-year term. The country succeeds Morocco, which held the seat during the previous mandate. The victory came in the third round of voting, where Algeria garnered 34 votes, defeating its sole competitor, Libya, which received 15 votes. With this result, Algeria regains a seat it had lost in 2022, five years after Morocco rejoined the continental organization in 2017. Algeria now joins Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Nigeria on the council, completing the 15-member body. The Council consists of five members elected for three-year terms and ten members serving two-year terms. Algeria had previously failed to win the seat during the February session after falling short of the required voting majority. The country had held a seat on the Peace and Security Council for 13 consecutive years starting in 2008, first represented by former Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, followed by Ismail Chergui. The Peace and Security Council is the African Union's main executive body tasked with overseeing peace and security across the continent. Similar in function to the United Nations Security Council, its members are elected by the AU General Assembly based on criteria such as regional balance, contributions to military and financial efforts, and adherence to standards of good governance and political stability.
