On May 25, 2024, African leaders and other stakeholders met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the 20th anniversary of the African Union Peace and Security Council, chaired by President Samia Suluhu Hassan for May 2024. Among the issues that were widely discussed in the ceremony included the ongoing conflicts, resurgence of unconstitutional change of government, and terrorism.
During the opening ceremony, President Samia highlighted the evolving nature of conflicts in Africa and the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government and terrorism as persistent challenges.
President Samia urged leaders to reflect on addressing the root causes of issues. She emphasized the importance of improving prevention capabilities, effectively using available instruments and strengthening relationships to resolve challenges.
The sentiment was echoed by a panel of African elders, including former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, former Nigerian President Oluṣẹgun Ọbasanjọ, and Domitien Ndayizeye the former president of Burundi.
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"Instruments we used to deal with conflicts and security among ourselves are no longer working,” argued Obasanjo. “The government that comes in unconstitutional ways are not thinking of going away in three or four years not even ten years, they are thinking of staying for a generations; should we find new ways of sanctions?” asked Obasanjo.
Drawing on his experience with conflict in the Great Lakes region, President Kikwete explained that most conflicts in Africa result from leadership failures. “A lot of issues that Africa is dealing with stem from a deficit of governance,” he said.
President Ndayizeye, referencing the Burundi conflict, emphasized the importance of communication. He explained that he and the late President Pierre Buyoya began their talks as sworn enemies. They had to build trust and committed to meeting three times a day, which eventually matured into daily phone calls. Ndayizeye noted that although they started with mutual hatred, they ended up becoming friends.
The issue of terrorism was also addressed. Mozambique’s Interior Minister, Pascoal Pedro João Ronda, highlighted the situation in Mozambique and the impending departure of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in July, emphasizing the need for increased cooperation among the states.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, highlighted the challenges faced by the council, including stringent budgeting and a lack of adequate mechanisms to implement its mandate.
He said: “The modesty of the Council’s means of intervention cannot be underestimated. I do not wish to dwell on the size of the budget allocated to the Council. They suffer the same fate as all the Union’s bodies.I would rather emphasize the Council’s lack of any means of coercion or of imposing its decisions.”
“This congenital weakness makes the operational function of Council a complete pipe dream. Where is the African Army? Where is the Standby Force? Where is the Rapid Intervention Brigade? All these ambitious projects, whose implementation would have enhanced the PSC’s intervention capabilities, if only to act as a deterrent, have been left to rest in drawers,” he emphasized.