Egypt will chair the African Union’s (AU) Peace and Security Council in November, according to the Egyptian ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the AU Mohamed Omar Gad.
Gad stated that the expected Egyptian chairship of the council aims to enhance the council’s role in issues of peace and security that are of high priority on the African agenda.
AU’s Peace and Security Council work programme in November aims to support stability in the African content and strengthen the role of the AU in addressing peace and security issues.
He added that the Egyptian chairship comes at a time of increasing security challenges across Africa, foremost of which are terrorism, extremism, organised crime, ethnic tensions, internal political crises, the consequences of climate change and natural disasters.
Gad explained that Egypt plans to hold a ministerial session on combating terrorism through addressing extremist ideologies to isolate terrorists by drying up their sources of recruitment.
This is an opportunity to showcase the Egyptian experience in this field, especially the presidential initiatives regarding the renewal of religious discourse in cooperation with religious, media, academic and civil society institutions, the ambassador explained.
Egypt’s chairship will also witness the exchange of experiences and best practices between African countries, especially in light of the growing terrorist threat in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and Central Africa regions.
Gad stated that Egypt’s chairship programme also includes a substantive session on the protection of medical facilities and staff in the context of armed conflicts as an extension of the initiative that Egypt co-leads at the UN Security Council.
A session will also be devoted to studying the consequences of climate change on peace and security on the continent, in preparation for Egypt’s expected hosting of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in 2022 (COP27).
Post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts will also be discussed, bearing in mind that Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is the African President charged with leading this file in the AU.
The ambassador explained that the Egyptian diplomacy in the multilateral African forums pays special attention to addressing the root causes of conflicts and preventing their recurrence through peace-building and stabilization activities.
It also aims to ensure full respect for international humanitarian law and improve humanitarian access.
Gad stated that the month of the Egyptian chairship of the Peace and Security Council will give the necessary attention to the state of peace and security in specific countries and regions.
“Developments in Sudan and Somalia will be monitored by the Peace and Security Council to formulate an appropriate response to them,” he indicated.
During the Egyptian chairship, Gad is expected to hold a series of consultations with the African Union Commission, the presidency of the UN Security Council, the African Tripartite in the Security Council, and the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.
Egypt will also lead the preparatory process for the annual consultative meeting with the Security Council, which will be held in December.
Peace and Security Council is the standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. It has 15 members with equal voting powers, elected by the AU Executive Council and endorsed by the AU Assembly during its ordinary sessions.
