Evolving AU norms and their implications for addressing conflicts in Africa

This seminar explores how foundational AU norms and principles are being interpreted in responses to conflicts.

Date: 2026-04-22

Time: 07:30 to 10:00

Venue: Best Western Hotel, Addis Ababa and online via Zoom

Africa’s challenges in dealing with armed conflict are often explained in terms of material factors, such as capacity and resource shortages. However, there is a growing recognition of the persistent gap between normative commitments and their practical implementation.

This hybrid seminar explores how foundational African Union (AU) norms and principles, such as sovereignty, subsidiarity, non-indifference, non-interference and African solutions to African problems, are being interpreted in response to conflicts. Speakers will examine how this shapes AU policy responses and how think tanks can help adapt AU peace, security and governance frameworks.

This event is convened by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) as part of the Insights4Peace Knowledge Series, in collaboration with NeTT4Peace and with support from GIZ.

Moderator: Dr Dawit Yohannes, Senior Researcher and Project Manager, ISS/Training for Peace

Presentation: Dr Admore Kambudzi, former director, Peace and Security Department, AU Commission

Panelists:

Netsanet Tekeda Alemu, Project Coordinator, Panel of the Wise Secretariat, Mediation and Dialogue Division, AU
AU/APRM TBC
Meressa K Dessu, Senior Researcher and Training Coordinator, ISS/Training for Peace
Net4Peace representative (TBC)