Assessing AU PAPS's Role In Agenda 2063

Ismail Abdulaziz
Jan, Sat, 2025

Features

Assessing AU PAPS’s role in Agenda 2063

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By Ekemini Ladejobi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

The African Union Commission’s (AUC) Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) has been advancing a transformative agenda for peace, security, and governance across Africa.

Under the leadership of Amb. Bankole Adeoye, the current AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, the department has reinforced the AU’s role as a proactive, unified force in addressing continental challenges.

PAPS is one of six portfolios rationalised and established during the Eleventh Extraordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Nov. 17-18, 2018.

The department was created as a merger of the Political Affairs, and Peace and Security departments, which used to be two separate entities.

The AU said the new department focuses on one of the four key priorities of the continental body: political affairs, peace and security, economic integration, and Africa’s global representation and voice.

AU also said PAPS’ mandate was developed from its larger Pan-African vision as defined in the aspirations of Agenda 2063, especially Aspirations 3 and 4.

While Aspiration 3 envisions “an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law”, Aspiration 4 envisions “a peaceful and secure Africa”.

Some of the core functions of PAPS include continuous monitoring of Africa’s political, peace and security trends; and timely assessment, analysis and reporting on political, peace and security trends through early warning systems.

It supports conflict prevention through the development and dissemination of legal and policy frameworks on governance, political, peace, and security issues.

It also supports conflict management efforts, including peace-support operations as well as mediation and dialogue interventions; and supports post-conflict reconstruction and development policy and strategy development.

Some stakeholders say that although challenges persist, Adeoye’s vision since his election in 2021 has helped equip PAPS for success.

Mr Brian Kwayedza, a Zimbabwean lawyer and international affairs analyst, said Adeoye’s vision emphasises accelerating the implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

He said the same vision has also helped to fast-track the African Governance Architecture (AGA), which he said is guided by shared values of peace and development.

“Over the past three going to four years, the PAPS has made significant strides. Peace enforcement has been prioritised as a strategic tool to combat violent extremism and terrorism.

“The department facilitated the peace process that led to the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in Pretoria on November 2, 2022.

“In addition, PAPS provided strategic and operational support to the Peace and Security Council (PSC), enhancing early warning systems and informed decision-making through regular consultations,” he said.

Others credit the commissioner for an improved early warning mechanism, as well as conflict prevention, mediation and management.

They cite the Ethiopia-Tigray peace process, which culminated in the landmark 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, as being facilitated by Adeoye and his team.

“He launched the AU Inter-Regional Knowledge Exchange on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention (I-RECKE), which has helped in fostering collaboration among regional and international stakeholders.

“Improved early warning capabilities has led to increased intelligence-sharing among bodies such as the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services and the AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation,” an analyst said.

However, critics say the AU has barely done enough in terms of conflict prevention, entrenching good governance, and preventing/countering violent extremism on the continent.

“Africa has recently experienced unprecedented unconstitutional regime changes, increased activities of violent extremists, and higher trans-border terrorism and terrorism funding.

“It appears that the AU is stuck on a weak conflict management system, which makes many refer to it as a toothless bulldog.

“For instance, what concrete measures has it taken against the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon and Chad?” an analyst asked.

They said those responsibilities solely or partly fall within the purview of PAPS.

In 2024, Nigeria hosted a two-day high-level African counter-terrorism summit in the capital, Abuja, which aimed to bolster regional cooperation and institutional capacity.

With the theme “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism”, the meeting proffered “African-led and African-owned” solutions to the threats of terrorism and violent extremism that have made the continent a hotbed.

One of the issues that came up for deliberation at the summit was the operationalisation of the African Standby Force to enhance the continent’s capacity for rapid response to conflicts.

If he happens to be reelected in March, some stakeholders said Adeoye should collaborate more in the area of strengthening the institutional capacity of the AUC, especially specialised agencies of the commission.

Some of the agencies include the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), the AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) and the AU Centre for Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD).

The AUC also needs global support in strengthening existing counter-terrorism structures such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU), the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA).

In May 2022, at the Declaration of the 16th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly, the continent’s leaders agreed to establish the African Union Ministerial Committee on Counter-Terrorism.

It said the committee was to serve as a high-level coordination, monitoring, evaluation and follow-up mechanism for the implementation of the commitments made in its Malabo Declaration.

Analysts want PAPS under Adeoye to explore better cooperation and synergy in these areas.

Those who want to see the commissioner reelected in March say he has mobilised resources for the MNJTF and advanced the Lake Chad Basin

Stabilisation Strategy by attracting development partners for post-conflict reconstruction.

They also say he has adopted a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the AU’s Master Roadmap on Silencing the Guns by 2030, thereby driving accountability and progress.

However, PAPS faces critical challenges, some of which Adeoye himself alluded to, including a limited budget for peace and security, and a ⁠lack of human resources and capacity in the department.

They also listed the exponential spread of terrorism and violent extremism; external interference in African conflicts; and ⁠resumed acute geopolitical competition on the continent as some of the challenges facing PAPS.

Nevertheless, stakeholders want the department to continue to champion pan-African ideals for effective governance, peace and stability in line with AU’s Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria

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