Addressing security challenges in Africa

ISS and the Council on Foreign Relations discuss the role of the AU, sub-regional organisations and external actors in peace and security.

In a unique collaborative effort, the Institute for Security Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations are co-hosting a workshop to discuss the role of the African Union (AU), sub-regional organisations, and external actors in fostering peace and security.

In the global peace and security sphere, Africa has witnessed the most development with respect to rising regionalism. With the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity into the AU, African countries put together one of the most robust regional peace and security arrangements of recent times.

In addition to an expanded role for the AU in peace and security matters, sub-regional organisations like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) have also contributed. These developments have consequences for peace and security and for the role of external actors on the continent. As the AU’s Peace and Security Council marks a decade in existence, it is fitting to review the responses of the AU and sub-regional organisations to Africa’s security challenges.

This closed workshop will bring together senior policy makers and experts from inter-governmental organisations, think tanks and civil society. The first day will focus on mapping the relevant regional, external and private actors, and the second will address major themes and challenges such as peace operations, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, and environmental insecurity.

Development partners
This workshop is hosted in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations



This workshop is made possible with funding from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
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