Launch of the Annual Review of the Peace and Security Council 2012/2013

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 30 January 2013 - In a major new initiative, the ISS launched its Annual Review of the Peace and Security Council 2012/2013 on 27 January 2013 on the margins of the 20th AU Assembly in Addis Ababa.

The Annual Review found that the PSC’s expanding role in providing leadership to resolve crises on the continent is increasingly shaping the politics of AU member states, the relations between them and the response of regional bodies and the international community. It further revealed that there are gaps in the capacity of the PSC to exercise the full scope of its powers, and to respond to all crisis situations with the urgency and kind of action each requires. Questions were also raised about the institutional framework for coherent policy making between the PSC and regional mechanisms.

Author of the Review, Dr Solomon A. Dersso, told participants at the launch that ‘the review revealed that the success of the PSC depends on a number of factors including strong consensus among its member states, active support of regional countries and organisations and mobilisation of firm and unified international diplomatic as well as material resources.’ He added that ‘while the lack of some of these factors slowed progress in the situations in Mali, Madagascar and Eastern DRC, positive results were achieved in Somalia and in the post-secession negotiations between Sudan-South Sudan.’

Ambassador Olusegun Akinsanya, Director of the ISS Addis Ababa office, noted that ‘the PSC Annual Review offers a comprehensive framework for periodically reviewing the work of the PSC to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities effectively and reducing threats to African peace and security.’

The Annual Review of the Peace and Security Council 2012/2013 was launched on the margins of the 20th AU Assembly in Addis Ababa and hosted by the African Union Department of Information and Communication.

Development partners
The publication was funded by Hanns Seidel Foundation. The ISS is also grateful for the support of the following core partners: the governments of Norway, Sweden, Australia and Denmark.
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