On Saturday, July 20, 2024, a delegation from the North Africa Regional Capability (NARC), headed by the Executive Secretary of the NARC Secretariat, participated in a discussion session concerning the African Union’s (AU) Knowledge and Experience Exchange Platform (I-RECKE).
The session was attended by the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, the Commissioner for Peace and Security, leaders and directors of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and officials from various AU Commission departments. These included the Director of the Conflict Management Directorate and the Director of Finance within the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security.
The Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission inaugurated the meeting, emphasizing the importance of close coordination and collaboration between the AU Commission, RECs, RMs, and member states to effectively address the numerous challenges facing the continent. She highlighted the widespread conflicts and acts of terrorism affecting various regions.
The Deputy Chairperson enumerated the specific conflicts plaguing the African continent, along with terrorism and other challenges that necessitate collective efforts to achieve peace and security.
Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, also addressed the meeting, underscoring the importance of a unified African response to the challenges impacting various regions, including the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, North, South, and Central Africa.
He affirmed that the platform serves as a pan-African forum for discussing continental peace and security issues, fostering the exchange of experiences, expertise, and best practices in addressing these critical concerns.
Subsequently, leaders from the RECs and RMs outlined the specific challenges they encounter in maintaining peace and security, highlighting the considerable financial burden of funding peace support operations. They pointed out the relative ease of deploying peace support missions compared to the greater difficulty of sustaining them due to high costs.
The NARC Executive Secretary addressed the significant challenges and financial burdens associated with peace support operations, which have strained the resources of the AU, RECs, RMs, and member states alike. He advocated for innovative solutions to address this problem, such as exploring investment opportunities to fund AU operations.
He also highlighted NARC’s role, in collaboration with the AU, in supporting reconciliation efforts in Libya, indicating that coordination in this regard is ongoing.
The speakers unanimously agreed on the need for concerted efforts between the AU Commission, RECs, and RMs. They emphasized the importance of intensifying such meetings to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned, ultimately achieving peace, security, and stability across the continent. These elements are recognized as essential prerequisites for sustainable development and the prosperity of African populations.
The Director of Finance within the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security provided a brief overview of the AU Peace Fund. Notably, a decision was made to allocate USD 10 million from this fund to RECs and RMs, with each receiving USD 100,000.
He also outlined the European Union-supported Early Response Mechanism implemented through the AU Commission. This mechanism is specifically designed for emergencies that could threaten peace and security in AU member states.
It was noted that NARC has not yet formally joined this mechanism.