Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1153^rd meeting held on 12 May 2023, on ‘Financing African Union Peace Support Operations (PSOs)’.

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling all relevant Assembly Decisions, particularly Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.561(XXIV)] of January 2015 which directed that “ Member States would fund 100% of the operational budget, 75% of the program budget and 25% of the peace support operations budget”; and Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.578(XXV)] of June 2015 which reiterated this commitment by Member States;

Also recalling its decisions and pronouncements, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.2(DII)], adopted at its 502nd meeting held on 30 April 2015, which adopted the Common African Position on the UN Review of Peace Operations; Press Statement [PSC/PR/BR. (DXXXII)], adopted at its 532nd meeting held on 10 August 2015, acknowledging the High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (HIPPO) report which provided a comprehensive approach to strategic and operational aspects of peace operations; and Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.(DCLXXXIX)] adopted at its 689th meeting held on 30 May 2017, requesting “the UN Security Council (UNSC) to take practical steps towards the adoption of a substantive resolution that establishes the principle that AU mandated or authorized Peace Support Operations, authorized by the UN Security Council should be financed through UN assessed contributions, with decisions on the financing of specific missions to be taken on a case-by-case basis”;

Deeply concerned by the persistent capacity challenges facing AU peace Support Operations, particularly in financial, material, technical and logistical terms and determined to find lasting solutions;

Underlining that in deploying peace operations, in particularly challenging conflict contexts, often with very limited capacities, the AU and the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) will be doing so on behalf of the UN Security Council which bares the primary responsibility for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security;

Reaffirming the commitment of the AU to continue mobilizing predictable, adequate and sustainable financing for all AU mandated, authorized and endorsed peace support operations (PSOs) on the Continent;

Noting the statement by H.E Gen. Jeje Abubakhar Odongo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of May 2023; the remarks by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security and H.E. Ambassador Mohammed El-Amine Souef, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission for Somalia and Head of AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS); as well as the statements by the Representatives of the United Nations and the European Union; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

1. Takes note of, with serious concern, the persistent financial challenges being faced by AU-led PSOs which are preventing them from effectively implementing their respective mandates;

2. Commends the AU Commission for developing the ‘Consensus Paper on Predictable, Adequate and Sustainable Financing for African Union Peace and Security Activities’ adopted by the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union held in Addis Ababa, from 18 to 19 February 2023 and, in this regard, encourages Member States and the AU Commission to ensure the awareness and sensitization of the Consensus Paper;

3. Commends the AU Commission, the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) for their relentless efforts in mobilizing funding for the PSOs on the Continent;

4. Underscores the need for enhanced collaboration and coordination between the AU and the RECs/RMs, including in planning, deployment and management of PSOs on the Continent;

5. Expresses appreciation to all partners for their continued support to AU PSOs and in this regard, strongly appeals to them to further enhance their support;

6. Takes note of the lessons drawn from ongoing PSOs in Africa, including from the Sahel, the Great Lakes Region, Mozambique, Somalia, and the Central African Republic, as well as from the Lake Chad Basin area, and in this regard, emphasizes the need for the UN Security Council to devise effective response models to contemporary conflict trends and dynamics on the Continent;

7. Decides to increase the ceiling of the Crisis Reserve Facility (CRF) from five million USD to ten million USD for 2023 and the same provision of 10 million for 2024; to enable the AU to urgently and effectively address emergency peace and security challenges on the Continent; and in this regard, requests the AU Commission to submit this decision to the relevant AU Policy organs in line with the AU Financial Rules;

8. Also requests the AU Commission to use the AU Peace Fund to fill the current financial gap in the ATMIS 2022 to 2024 budget and to submit the proposals to the relevant AU Policy Organs for consideration in line with the AU Financial Rules; as well as to redouble efforts in mobilizing financial support for the PSOs deployed by RECs/RMs, such as the SAMIM and the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF);

9. Further requests the Chairperson of the AU Commission, in consultation with the Chairperson of the AU, to nominate an AU Champion Leader who will work with the Chairperson of the Commission and the AU High Representative for the Peace Fund, in engaging development partners in the mobilization of resources for AU peace and security activities on the continent;

10. Commends AU Member States for their commitment towards the revitalization of the AU Peace Fund and for their contributions; commends in particular the Republic of Senegal for its voluntary contribution to the Peace Fund and encourages other Member States, which have not yet done so, to also voluntarily contribute to the Fund; and requests the AU Commission to expedite the establishment of the Peace Fund Secretariat, including its governance structure;

11. Also commends the African Members in the UN Security Council (A3) for their sustained efforts in championing and advocating AU Common Positions, particularly financing AU-led PSOs through UN assessed contribution and, in this regard, requests the A3 to resume consultations with the relevant stakeholders towards the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on financing AU-led PSOs;

12. Looks forward to the Report of the UN Secretary-General to be presented to the UN Security council on 25 May 2023 with clear proposals on the appropriate financing models through which UN Assessed Contributions to be used to support AU-led PSOs; and in this regard, requests the Commission, working with the UN to develop the modalities for enhanced AU-UN joint work, including collaborative planning and mandating processes which provide a standardized mechanism through which the AU and the sub regional configurations can collaboratively assess and more effectively respond to crisis situations, as well as access financial support from the UN Assessed Contributions on a case-by-case basis;

13. Requests the AU Commission to submit this Communiqué to the A3 in preparation for the UN Security Council meeting on 25 May 2023; and

14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS