The summit comes at a time when Africa is grappling with multiple crises, including conflicts in Sudan, the Sahel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other regions.
International Crisis Group Senior Adviser for the AU Liesl Louw-Vaudran said the gathering is significant both for the AU and for Angola. “President João Lourenço is the AU champion for peace and reconciliation,” Louw-Vaudran said.
Louw-Vaudran noted that Lourenço has played a prominent role in peace initiatives, including efforts in the Great Lakes region through the Luanda Process and Angola’s recent tenure as AU Chairperson.
The theme of the summit, Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, reflects growing concern about the continent’s escalating security challenges. “It’s extremely important given the conflicts and the urgency of our conflicts on the continent, from Sudan to the Sahel and the Great Lakes,” Louw-Vaudran said.
According to Louw-Vaudran, conflict prevention and early warning have long been among the AU’s most difficult challenges.
One obstacle is that member states often disagree on the root causes of conflicts and how they should be addressed. “Leaders around the continent often disagree about what the root causes are of a conflict and how to deal with it,” Louw-Vaudran said.
Louw-Vaudran also pointed to concerns over sovereignty and political sensitivities that often make governments reluctant to have domestic conflicts discussed by continental institutions. “Many states in Africa are reluctant to have their conflicts on the agenda,” Louw-Vaudran said.
Louw-Vaudran cited Nigeria’s initial reluctance to place the Boko Haram crisis on the AU agenda and Ethiopia’s resistance to external involvement during the Tigray conflict as examples of how concerns about sovereignty can delay intervention. “It’s almost embarrassing to admit that your country is in conflict,” Louw-Vaudran said.
Despite these challenges, Louw-Vaudran said the AU Peace and Security Council regularly addresses crises in Somalia, South Sudan, eastern DRC and the Sahel.
Louw-Vaudran argued that the Luanda summit could provide an opportunity for heads of state to inject greater urgency into peace and security responses. “There can be a greater sense of urgency and maybe even some commitments for the Peace and Security Council to have stronger resolutions quicker because of the urgency,” Louw-Vaudran said.
Louw-Vaudran also highlighted the importance of improving coordination between the AU and regional economic communities, which sometimes prefer to manage conflicts within their own regions.
Referring to peace efforts in eastern DRC, Louw-Vaudran said multiple mediation initiatives involving regional organisations and international actors have created overlapping processes. “It should be the role of the African Union as a continental body to coordinate these mediation efforts,” Louw-Vaudran said.
–ChannelAfrica–
