Mental health, psychosocial support and peacebuilding in Africa

This event explores the AU’s efforts to mainstream mental health and psychosocial support in post-conflict, reconstruction and development processes

Date: 2026-11-11

Time: 09:00 to 11:00

Venue: PSC Chamber, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The African Union (AU) is developing guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for those affected in pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict situations. A dedicated MHPSS policy is also being drawn up for personnel in peace support operations.

This expert dialogue will examine the AU's efforts to mainstream MHPSS principles across its post-conflict, reconstruction and development (PCRD) policy. Speakers will discuss African-led, community-based examples of trauma-responsive peacebuilding and psychosocial protection and will identify concrete steps to embed these approaches in national and regional PCRD and peacebuilding programming.

This event is convened by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) PCRD Centre, Nonviolent Peaceforce and the Kingdom of the Netherlands Permanent Representation to the African Union.

Moderator: Lesley Connolly, Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager, Nonviolent Peaceforce

Panelists:

Libakiso Matlho, Executive Secretary, AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction & Development Centre
Representative, Embassy of the Gambia
Colonel Khalid Bekri, Defense Attaché, Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco
Dr Michael Udedi, Principal Technical Officer for Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
Tiffany Easthom, Executive Director, Nonviolent Peaceforce
Closing remarks: Amb Christine Pirenne, Netherlands’ Permanent Representative to the AU, IGAD and UNECA

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