Africa-Press – Tanzania. DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA will host the 20th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AUPSC), scheduled to take place on Saturday at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr January Makamba told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday that President Samia Suluhu Hassan accepted the honour of hosting and leading the celebrations.
Mr Makamba said that Tanzania, as the current Chairman of the Council, was approached by the African Union to host this prestigious gathering.
“On that basis, in collaboration with the AU-PSC Secretariat, we prepared a schedule of various activities. We agreed that each week in this month should be assigned a specific role. Therefore, we agreed that the first week would be about mediation and dialogue.
He added that the activity was followed by discussions on humanitarian, peace, and security issues in the second week. The third week highlighted women and youth about peace and security, while child protection took centre stage in the fourth week. In the final week would be peace support operations.
Elaborating further, he said the theme of this landmark celebration is “20 Years of the AU- PSC as a Standing Decision-Making Organ: The Next 2 Decades of the Peace and Security We Want in Africa.” He added that aiming to foster productive discussions, the event is expected to be attended by around 120 distinguished guests from different nations.
According to him, among the notable figures set to participate in the celebrations are Vice-President of Uganda, Jessica Alupo, Chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, and former Presidents of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, Domitien Ndayizeye (Burundi), Joachim Chissano (Mozambique) and Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania.
“Additionally, we have invited approximately 700 participants from Tanzania to partake in this event. Therefore, we have to prepare to welcome such esteemed guests and encourage active participation in this anniversary celebration,” he stressed.
In line with that, he said, as part of the commemoration, an open debate is scheduled for tomorrow at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) to gather valuable insights on the council’s performance and avenues for enhancement.
Reflecting on the council’s achievements over the past two decades, Mr Makamba acknowledged its successes in resolving conflicts across several African regions. While progress has been made in countries like Burundi, Comoro, Madagascar, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, challenges persist in conflict zones like Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic, Libya, and Sudan.
He stressed that the upcoming celebration presents a unique opportunity for Africans and individuals vested in the continent’s well-being to voice their opinions on fortifying the Council to effectively address security challenges.
The culminating event of the Council’s 20th anniversary will feature the unveiling of the Dar es Salaam Declaration, marking a new chapter in Africa’s peace and security landscape.
Providing historical context, Tanzania’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU, Mr Innocent Shiyo said that the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union was adopted in July 2002 and officially came into force in December 2003.
He said the Council’s first fifteen (15) members were elected in March 2004 by the Executive Council of the Union.
“The PSC was established under Article 5(2) of the Constitutive Act as a standing decision-making organ for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts in Africa, as per Article 2(1) of the PSC Protocol,” he noted.
Detailing the composition of the PSC, he said it is composed of 15 members elected based on equal rights in the following manner, as provided under Article 5(2) of its Protocol, and Ten members are elected for a term of two years, and five members are elected for a term of three years, to ensure continuity.
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