Towards a mechanism to monitor the implementation of PSC decisions

Date: 2013-11-19

Time: 09:00 to 17:00

Venue: Kuriftu Resort , Bishoftu , Ethiopia

RSVP: Beakal Bisrat
Tel: +25 111 5156367
Cell: +251 912 506890
Email: [email protected]

Since its establishment in 2004, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) has served as the central pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and is now one of the most important institutions on the continent. Having met more than 400 times, the PSC has authorised interventions in several AU member states and passed decisions on crisis situations across the continent on issues of preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction and development.

Despite this good work, there is a gap between PSC decisions and their implementation by member states, regional communities, and the various AU mechanisms. Lack of political will and capacity, and the absence of proper follow-up and monitoring are some of the reasons for the problem. At the last AU Summit in May 2013, the AU Commission chairperson said the AU should slow down on its decision-making and emphasise the implementation of existing decisions.

Through its Peace and Security Council Report, the ISS hopes to shed light on the implementation of PSC decisions. This workshop will examine existing mechanisms to monitor implementation at the international and regional levels and will propose ways to follow-up on the implementation of PSC decisions.

The workshop will be attended by AU officials, academics and researchers, practitioners, members of civil society, IT experts and the media. Presentations will cover experiences from the UN and EU, as well as from civil society and Regional Economic Communities. A practical briefing on the technical elements of the mechanism will also be made.

Opening remarks: Prof Kasaija Philip Apuli, Manager, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, ISS Addis Ababa

Chair, morning session: Amb Berhane Deressa, Chairman, Board of Directors, Forum for the Study of Foreign Policy (FSFP)

• Joanna Weschler, Deputy Executive Director & Director of Research, Security Council Report, New York
• Andrew Sherriff, Head of Programme European External Action, Brussels
• Civilian Expert, Peace Support Operations, African Union
• Frank Okyere, Research Fellow, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Ghana

Chair, afternoon session: Tamrat Kebede, Director, Inter Africa Group (IAG)

• Brenda Mofya, Policy Advisor, Peace & Security, Oxfam International Liaison Office with the AU
• Noleen Sang, Programme Officer, Centre for Citizens' Participation on the AU (CCPAU)
• Richard Perry, Digital Communications Specialist, ISS Pretoria
• Hallelujah Lulie, Researcher, Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis Division, ISS Addis Ababa