The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation on (SADC Organ) at the Ambassadorial Level, with the participation of other Member States of SADC, held their Inaugural Annual Joint Consultative Meeting at the SADC Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana, on 30 August 2024. The meeting was convened to deliberate on peace and security issues in the Southern Africa region within the context of the ongoing implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), as well as the African Governance Architecture (AGA).

The Joint Consultative Meeting was Co-Chaired by H.E. Pamela Chisanga, Zambian High Commissioner to Botswana, representing the SADC Organ Troika and H.E. Ambassador Tebelelo Alfred Boang, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Botswana to the AU and Chairperson of the AU PSC for August 2024. H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner, Political Affairs Peace and Security and Professor Kula Ishmael Theletsane, Director Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, representing the SADC Executive Secretary, participated at the meeting..

The AU PSC and the SADC Organ reaffirmed the mandate of the AU PSC concerning its primary responsibility in promoting peace, security and stability in Africa, as per the AU Constitutive Act and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the PSC of the AU (2002); and the mandate of the SADC Organ as per the Declaration and Treaty establishing the SADC (1992) as well as the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (2001), which aims to promote peace and security in the SADC region. They recognized the contribution made by the AU, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) in promoting peace and security in Africa;  

The meeting recalled the Joint Communiqués of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Annual Joint Consultative meetings between the PSC and RECs/RMs, held on 24 May 2019, 26 April 2021 and on 29 August 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Bujumbura, Burundi respectively

The Joint Consultative Meeting provided the first historic opportunity for the AU PSC and SADC Organ and SADC Member States to reflect on issues strengthening coordination and collaboration of efforts to promote peace, security and democracy in the region.

The Joint Consultative Meeting focused on the following agenda items: a) Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Southern Africa: Lessons from SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) experience in Cabo Delgado; b) The Situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Operations of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC); c  AU PSC-SADC Joint Efforts in Resource Mobilization for Regional Peace and Security; and d.  AU PSC-SADC Joint Efforts towards Peacemaking Efforts and  Silencing the Guns.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ commended the efforts being deployed by SADC in the promotion of democracy, peace and security in the region; in particular, the deployment of SAMIM in Cabo Delgado ,  Mozambique and SAMIDRC in the Eastern DRC.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ noted the experiences and lessons of from SAMIM and SAMIDRC and welcomed the milestones achieved, thus far, in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado and negative forces and armed groups in Eastern part of DRC.

Both sides further acknowledged the convening of the lessons learned conference on the deployment of SAMIM in Cabo Delgado and looked forward to the report of the conference towards contributing to the Second AU Lessons Learned Forum on African Union Peace Support Operations and the Operationalization of African Standby Force to be convened in the near future.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ expressed concern over the prevailing insecurity in parts of the region, particularly the threat of terrorist attacks and violent extremism in Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, and negative forces and armed groups in the eastern part of the DRC resulting in disastrous humanitarian situation, massive losses of lives and displacements of the population, destruction of infrastructure and economic disruption. Furthermore, the AUPSC and SADC Organ emphasized the need for collaboration to identify sources of funding for negative forces in Africa, particularly those involving the terrorists spreading terror in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique and eastern DRC.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ reiterated strong condemnation of the heinous activities committed by the terrorists, negative forces and armed groups, particularly the M23, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR); while emphasizing the need for all Member States to respect the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity, as well as to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of other Member States.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ reaffirmed the importance of the Luanda process which is aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict; in this regard, they applauded the efforts by H.E. João Manuel Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, in mediating between the two sisterly countries through the Luanda Process.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ underscored the need for the implementation of the outcome of the Quadripartite Summit of the East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), International Conference on the Great Lakes (ICGLR) and SADC, under the auspices of the AU, held on 27 June 2023, in Luanda, Republic of Angola; while they stressed the imperative of enhanced coordination of efforts within the framework of the Quadripartite Mechanism and the revitalization of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ raised concern over the inadequate, unpredictable and lack of sustainable funding for peace processes in the region; and they commended the AU for its efforts for the financial and material mobilization, including through the use of the Crisis Reserve Facility and  Peace Fund, as well as the strategic airlift of equipment from the Continental Logistic Base in Doula, Cameroon. They welcomed the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) which provide a framework on funding for AU peace support operations (PSOs) and the Resolution 2746 (2024) aimed at providing support to SAMIDRC and further called for their immediate implementations.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ emphasized the essence for joint mobilization of resources, including financial, technicaland logistics to support peace efforts and peace support operations in the region; and they agreed to jointly explore innovative means of internal resource mobilization including special levies and engagement with the private sectors and continental financial entities.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ renewed commitments to silence the guns in the continent and recalled the imperative of the accelerated implementation of the AU flagship initiative of the AU Agenda 2063 “Silencing the Guns by 2030”. In this respect, they underlined the need to enhance their collaboration in efforts towards “Silencing the Guns in the Southern Region”, which aims to end all wars and conflicts in the continent by 2030; and they encouraged SADC Member States to regularly report on the achievements, experience sharing and recommendations, on progress made in the implementation of the AU Master Roadmap to Silence the Guns by Member States in the region.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ committed to enhancing a stronger and more structured cooperation on conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding, including fully utilizing the AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Center in Cairo, Egypt.

The AU PSC and SADC Organ acknowledged with satisfaction, the statement by the African Youth Ambassador for Peace for the Southern African Region, Ms. Mpule Kgetsi and commended her efforts in ensuring the full implementation of the Continental Framework for Youth Peace and Security in the region

The AU PSC and SADC Organ agreed to institutionalize their cooperation, holding the Annual Joint Consultative meetings between the AU PSC and the SADC Organ, alternating the hosting at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the SADC headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.

    The AU PSC and SADC Organ further agreed to convene their Second Annual Joint Consultative meeting in 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on a date mutually agreed upon.

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