ISS Seminar Addis Ababa, BY INVITATION ONLY: The Relationship Between the AU Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council

Date: 2011-05-19

Venue: , Desalegn Hotel , opposite the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia , Bole, Addis Ababa , Ethiopia

Hosted by the Peace and Security Council Programme of the ISS in partnership with the UN Security Council Report (SCR)

The Peace and Security Council Report Programme of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Addis Ababa Office (PRP) and its partner organization, the New York-based Security Council Report (SCR), cordially invite you to a Public Seminar entitled ‘The relationship between the African Union Peace and Security Council and the UN Security Council: current status and prospects for improvement’. 

Since the establishment of the African Union and more particularly the operationalization of the Peace and Security Council, the AU has assumed a prominent role in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the continent. In order to achieve a coherent and coordinated response to crisis situations in Africa and mobilize political and financial support for its initiatives, the AU has established partnerships with a wide range of international actors and partner countries. One of the most important of such partnerships is the partnership between the AU and the United Nations (UN).

One aspect of this partnership involves the interaction between the PSC and the Security Council of the UN (UNSC). Since 2007 the PSC and the UNSC have held an annual consultative meeting. The meetings take place alternatively in the cities of Addis Ababa and New York. The last meeting was held in July 2010 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on 21 May 2011 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

While the annual consultative meeting is a significant development in the evolution of the partnership between the two bodies, it is not clear whether the PSC and the Security Council are realising the full potential from their partnership. It is thus worthwhile to reflect on some of the questions surrounding the partnership between the UNSC and the PSC. In this regard, the issues for discussion include whether the current format is providing substantial added value; whether different formats might be more effective; whether the true focus of the partnership should be on securing better outcomes in specific situations; whether it would be more beneficial to achieve an overarching political framework agreed between the two bodies to guide and define their partnership; whether it might be possible to expand the common ground on the principles that underpin the partnership; whether and what substantive achievements have been made with the annual consultative meetings; their respective view points on the nature and importance of the relationship; and finally, whether and in what ways the partnership between the two bodies needs to change.

This seminar is organized with the intention of creating a public forum, in addition to the official meetings, for the diplomatic community and other relevant actors based in Addis Ababa to reflect on these and related questions in the partnership between the two bodies.

Participation is by invitation.

SPEAKERS:

Please note that the seminar takes place under ISS Rules, participants are free to use the information presented, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participants, may be revealed without his/her express permission.