Publication:

Communiqué of the 2nd Annual Joint Consultative Meeting Between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States, held on 16 May 2025, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The 2nd Annual Joint Consultative Meeting between the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) and the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) took place on May 16, 2025, in Addis Ababa. Co-chaired by ambassadors from Sierra Leone and Nigeria, the meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in governance, peace, and security within the frameworks of APSA, AGA, and the AU Roadmap to Silencing the Guns by 2030. Key topics included ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary, joint strategies against terrorism and violent extremism, and the status of previous commitments. The Councils reaffirmed the need for deeper coordination and recognized the progress and contributions of ECOWAS in conflict resolution across West Africa. They also expressed concern over the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS and emphasized the need for a collective security framework involving these countries. Discussions also highlighted the urgency of addressing root causes of terrorism, strengthening youth and women’s roles in peacebuilding, and enhancing early warning systems. The Councils called for a joint threat analysis unit under a proposed AU–ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Coordination Platform and stressed the need to revamp existing AU instruments against terrorism. Emphasis was placed on improving funding mechanisms, operationalizing the African and ECOWAS Standby Forces, and ensuring inclusive political dialogue. Finally, both bodies committed to regular consultations, joint field missions, and mutual participation in upcoming events, agreeing to hold the next annual consultative meeting in 2026 in Abuja.