Peace and Security Directorate


With the transformation of the OAU to the AU, issues relating to peace and security are handled by the newly created department, the Peace and Security Directorate, which is headed by a Commissioner for Peace and Security. Under this new set up of the Commission of the AU, the commissioner is assisted by a Director who acts as a chief operating officer, playing a central role in the day-to day management of the Directorate.

The Peace and Security Directorate seeks to provide an enhanced institutional capacity for achieving peace, security and stability in Africa, through proactive action and support to the efforts of AU Member States, within the framework of the larger African Union vision for a united, peaceful, stable and prosperous continent. Furthermore, it will facilitate and ensure a more effective, efficient cooperation and coordination of initiatives within the continent, as well as the Regional Conflict Resolution Mechanisms and other international initiatives.

OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the Peace and Security Directorate is the maintenance of peace, security and stability through the coordination and promotion of African and other initiatives on conflict prevention, management and resolution within the context of the UN.

The specific objectives include among others to:

  • Ensure early signing, ratification and operationalisation of the Protocol on Peace and Security Council;
  • Coordinate, harmonize and promote peace and security programmes of the REC’s;
  • Establish and efficient early warning system supportive of rapid response by the Union;
  • Develop a common African defense and security policy;
  • Engage in mediation and resolution of conflicts;
  • Enhance the capacity of the AU, and contribute towards strengthening capacities of the stakeholders in conflict prevention, management and resolution

PROGRAMME THRUST
The programme thrust of the Peace and Security Directorate is the promotion of peace, security and stability through conflict prevention, management and resolution in Africa
Programme Elements
Mechanisms for Ensuring Peace and Securit

· Elaborate the concept and doctrine of peace and security.
· Elaborate modalities and mechanisms for effective cooperation and harmonization with regional Mechanisms (RECs) for conflict prevention and management.
· Elaborate mechanisms to deal with unconstitutional change of governments
· Elaborate and implement all initiatives for addressing strategic and security issues that impact on the stability of AU Member States.

Institution Building for Peace and Security

· Establish and operationalise the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the AU
· Establish and operationalise Peace and Security structures e.g. Panel of the Wise, its rules of procedure and modalities for smooth and effective functioning.
· Establish a continent wide Early Warning System
· Establish and operationalise an African Standby Force (ASF) and Military Staff Committees.
· Enhance the capacity of the Directorate.
· Develop a multidimensional strategic level management capability at AU headquarter.

Strategic Analysis and Support

· Build an Early Warning System with the capacity for trend analysis.
· Establish sustainable strategic studies centers and basis.
· Network with all relevant partners
· Undertake Conflict Management and Resolution
· Support the African Women’s Consultative Forum.

Strategic Security Issues

· Facilitate disarmaments
· Coordinate African efforts in preventing and combating terrorism.

Peace Support Operation

· Undertake, facilitate and mediate in Peace support operations in conflict situation;
· Establish liaison offices;
· Deploy facilitators and special envoys;
· Deploy observers;
· Support regional peace initiatives;
· Assist in post-conflict reconstruction.
· Prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for AU deployments
· Develop a logistic depot

Support Instruments
Institutional support for:
· Outreach
· Communication
· Management

DIFFERENT SUB-DEPARTMENTS OF THE PSD

Under the new structures of the AU, the Peace and Security Directorate will contain a Conflict Management Division (CMC), a Peace Support Operations Division and a Secretariat to assist the Peace and Security Council. The CMC, which will continue to be the operational arm of the new Peace and Security Council, is comprised of an Early Warning Unit and a Conflict Management and Resolution and Post conflict Unit. These two units will develop policy options and coordinate activities to support the prevention, management and resolution of African inter and intra-state conflicts.

Like the Conflict Management Center, the Peace Support Operations Division comprises two units, an Operations and Support Unit and an African Standby Force and Military Staff Committee Unit. It undertakes, facilitates and mediates in peace support operations in conflict situation, establishes liaison offices, deploys facilitators and special envoys, supports regional peace efforts, assists in post- conflict reconstruction and deploys observers.
To carry out its mission of promoting peace, security and stability in Africa, the Peace and Security Directorate is also supported by a Strategic Security Issues and a Project Management Team. The Project Management Team is the management facility that provides administrative support and management oversight functions. It ensures that the various activities within the PSD are prioritized, planned and implemented in a timely and efficient manner while the Strategic Security Issues facilitates the disarmaments and coordinate African efforts in preventing and combating terrorism.

~0~