The Gambia has assumed the role of stand-in chair of the African Union Peace and Security Council during the month of April 2024 in place of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This will be the second time for The Gambia to chair the AU PSC in four months following the successful completion of the rotational Chairship in December 2023.
The Gambia was re-elected to the AU Peace and Security Council for another 2-year term from 2024 to 2026 during the 44th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia held on 15th February 2024. The Government of The Gambia extends its sincere gratitude and appreciation to all AU member states for the renewed trust and confidence bestowed on the country. As a responsible member state of the African Union, we will continue to diligently serve in the Council by addressing critical peace and security issues confronting the continent.
As the stand-in-chair, during the month of April, our major preoccupation will be to engage the Council on the entrenchment of good governance, the commemoration of the twenty (20) years anniversary of the establishment of the AUPSC, and the conduct of a security risk assessment on the continent to promote sustainable peace and security. For The Gambia, this opportune moment comes at a time when the African Union Peace and Security Council will be commemorating the 20th Anniversary of its establishment.
During The Gambia’s Chairship for April 2024, the programme of work encompasses various meetings dedicated to the strengthening of peace and security on the continent. This result-oriented approach defines The Gambia’s policy position on the Council that all its activities and operations should be directed towards the attainment of a peaceful and secured Africa.
In that regard, the work of the AU PSC during April 2024 is constituted in the following manner: On 3rd April 2024, the AU PSC will organize two sessions: the first session entails, “the PSC Chairperson and the Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security will address the media, launching the PSC 20th Anniversary activities to be followed by the “Flag Ceremony for the newly elected members of the Peace and Security Council to install their national flags at the PSC Chamber to be followed by an engagement between the Peace and Security Council and His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. In the Second Session, the Council will consider the analytical briefing on the strategic planning for the Post African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Somalia;
On 4th April 2024, the AUPSC will hold an Open Session on Hate Crimes and fighting Genocide ideology in Africa to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda;
On 8th April 2024, the Council will hold two sessions. In the first session, the PSC will receive briefings on the situation in Lake Chad Basin on the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), Regional Stabilization Strategy Implementation, and the impact of climate change on the region. In the second session, the Council will receive a briefing on the preparations for the Abuja High-level Africa Counter Terrorism Meeting to be held from 22nd –25th April 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria
On 16th April 2024, the AUPSC will receive a joint briefing by the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), the Africa Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) on unlocking the obstacles to the effective operation of the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS);
On 18th April 2024, the Council will receive a briefing on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea and the robust response to combat Maritime Insecurity and Piracy;
From 22nd to 25th April 2024, the Council will embark on a High-level Meeting on Counter-terrorism and Consultation between the AUPSC and ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Abuja, Nigeria.
Source: Press release from MOFA
