Uganda has been elected to the African Union Peace and Security Council for a 2-year term, where it will join other 14 members in dealing with Africa’s Peace and Security challenges.
The Peace and Security Council is the organ of the African Union in charge of enforcing union decisions. It is patterned somewhat after the United Nations Security Council.
The PSC is also the main pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture, and works with other pillars of the APSA in order to promote “peace, security, and stability in Africa”.
The specific goal of the Peace and Security Council is the “prevention, management and resolution of conflicts”. To achieve these goals, it involves subsidiary organizations such as the Military Staff Committee and the Committee of Experts.
Uganda shall be represented by the Vice President, Rtd Major Jessica Alupo at the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
The session will run under the theme: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
The Vice President will be accompanied by Diana Mutasingwa, the Minister of State in the office of the Vice President, alongside officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) is the standing organ of the AU for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts.
It was established to be a collective security and ‘early warning’ arrangement with the ability to facilitate timely and efficient responses to conflict and crisis situations.
The PSC’s core functions are to conduct early warning and preventive diplomacy, facilitate peace-making, establish peace-support operations and, in certain circumstances, recommend intervention in the Member States to promote peace, security, and stability.
The PSC also works in support of peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction as well as humanitarian action and disaster management.
The Peace and Security Council’s key powers include anticipating and preventing disputes and conflicts, as well as policies, which may lead to genocide and crimes against humanity, Undertake peace-making, peace-building, and peace-support missions.
Other powers include, recommend intervention in a Member State in respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, Institute sanctions, and Implementing the AU’s common defense policy
PSC also has the power to ensure the implementation of key conventions and instruments to combat international terrorism, Promote coordination between regional mechanisms and the AU regarding peace, security, and stability in Africa.
The PSC has 15 members and all are elected by the AU Executive Council and endorsed by the Assembly at its next session. Five members are elected for three-year terms and 10 for two-year terms, usually to take up office on the first day of April following endorsement by the Assembly. Retiring members are eligible for immediate re-election.
