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The PAPS Digital Repository collates, organizes, and shares outcomes related to Political Affairs, Peace and Security, produced by the African Union Commission and its affiliated organs.
Recent Submissions
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.
(African Union Commission, 2025-05-15) Peace and Security Council; AUPSC-ECOWAS MSC
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.
Communiqué of the 1275th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, held on 23rd April 2025, on the Imperative of a Combined Maritime Task Force in Addressing Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
(2024-04-23) Peace and Security Council
At its 1275th meeting on 23 April 2025, the AUPSC adopted a communiqué emphasizing the need for a Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) to combat piracy and transnational crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. Building on previous decisions, the Council acknowledged significant milestones in establishing the CMTF and welcomed Nigeria’s commitment to host its headquarters in Lagos. The Council endorsed the CMTF as a ready-to-deploy force and urged enhanced cooperation among Member States, regional organizations, and international partners to provide legal, logistical, technical, and financial support. It called for improved coordination through standard operating procedures, real-time intelligence sharing, and alignment with frameworks like the Yaoundé Architecture and AIMS 2050. The Council also highlighted the need to address root causes of maritime crime, harmonize regional strategies, and establish mechanisms like a Maritime Security Unit within the AU Commission. Further, it supported initiatives such as the Amani Africa exercises and a proposed African Coast Guard Forum. The Council committed to continued engagement on the matter and emphasized the importance of sustainable environmental practices in maritime security.
Provisional Programme of Work of the African Union Peace and Security Council for May 2025, Under the Chairship of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
(African Union Commission, 2025-05-01) Peace and Security Council
The African Union Peace and Security Council’s Programme of Work for May 2025, under Sierra Leone's chairship, includes key ambassadorial-level engagements on security sector reform support to Member States, food insecurity as a conflict driver, and organized transnational crime in the Sahel. The Council will also hold the 2nd Annual Joint Consultative Meeting with ECOWAS and commemorate the International Day of Living Together in Peace. Additionally, it will adopt the provisional programme for June 2025, conduct a field mission to Gabon with ECCAS, undertake a mission to the Republic of Guinea, and facilitate the induction programme of the Military Staff Committee in Lagos, Nigeria.
Communiqué of the 1274th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, held on 16 April 2025, on the Consideration of the Conclusions of the Fourth Joint Retreat of the PSC of the AU and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
(2025-04-16)
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1274th meeting held on 16 April 2025 considering the Conclusions of the Fourth Joint Retreat of the AU PSC and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) held from 7 to 8 April 2024, under the theme: “Enhancing the role of the APRM in early warning and in contributing towards conflict prevention and strengthening good governance in accordance with AU normative instruments”.
Conclusions of the 4th Retreat of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Held from 7 to 8 April 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa
(2025-04-07) Peace and Security Council
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) held their fourth Joint Retreat in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 7 to 8 April 2025, under the theme: “Enhancing the role of the APRM in early warning and in contributing towards conflict prevention and strengthening of good governance in accordance with AU normative instruments”. The Fourth Joint Retreat was co-chaired by H.E. Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uganda to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for April 2025, and H.E. Amb Ali Ahmed Araita, Vice-Chairperson of the African Peer Review (APR) Panel of Eminent Persons.
