Addis Ababa, 30 January 2021: The 3^rd Extraordinary Meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defence, Safety and Security (STCDSS) was convened virtually on 29 and 30 January 2021, under the Chairmanship of H.E. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Republic of South Africa, and in the presence of H.E. Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU Commission. The Ministerial Meeting was preceded by the Preparatory Meeting of Experts and the Meeting of Chiefs of Defence Staff, Heads of Safety and Security held on 29 and 30 January 2021 respectively. The meeting considered and adopted the AU Doctrine on Peace Support Operations as a document that provides strategic guidance for the planning, conduct, management and liquidation of AU Peace Support Operations (PSOs).

The Doctrine embodies the core principles, practices and approaches that shall guide the AU’s approach in implementing PSOs, within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture. The Doctrine forms the basis for reviewing other key strategic documents including the African Standby Force (ASF) Concept, which is central to the prevention and response to peace and security challenges in the continent. Adoption of the Doctrine will contribute to efforts to Silence the Guns in Africa, and aligns with the Decision of the 14^th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on Silencing the Guns held on 6 December 2020, under the Chairmanship of H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa.

The meeting directed the Commission, working closely with Member States and the Regional Economic Communities and the Regional Mechanisms for the Prevention, Management and Resolution of Conflicts (RECs/RMs), to undertake periodic reviews of the Doctrine every 10 years, in order to ascertain progress made in its implementation as well as to facilitate its alignment to new and emerging conflict situations. The meeting also directed the Commission, working closely with Member States and RECs/RMs, to conduct a Continental Command Post Exercise (CPX) before the end of 2021, to test the application of the Doctrine, taking note of the modalities for enhanced harmonised decision-making processes between the AU-RECs/RMs for the employment of the ASF in conducting and managing PSOs in the continent.

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