Esteemed representatives of the AU Member States from Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and South Sudan

Honorable Justice Owuor Effie, Chairperson of the Panel of the Wise,

Representative of the German Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ms. Vanessa Prinz, First Secretary for Political Affairs

Representatives of the United Nations

Representatives of the AU Specialized Agencies, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs),

Dear International Partners represented, dear AU colleagues

All protocols duly observed,

Distinguished participants and Ladies and Gentlemen

It is an honor to welcome you to this consultative workshop on the political dimensions of DDR.

The African Union’s mandate for supporting Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in DDR is derived from several key policies, including the Common African Defense and Security Policy (CADSP), the Policy on Post-Conflict Reconstruction & Development, the AU Security Sector Reform (SSR), and the AU Transitional Justice Policy. The DDR program is also aligned with critical AU Peace and Security initiatives, such as the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the AU Master Roadmap on the Silencing of the Guns, and the broader Agenda 2063.

As you know, DDR programs are closely connected to the motivations and structures of armed groups, as well as broader political and mediation processes.

The success of DDR depends on understanding why individuals join armed groups— whether driven by political grievances, economic incentives, or social and ideological factors.

Additionally, the structure, aspiration, and operations of these groups, whether hierarchical or fragmented, play a crucial role in shaping DDR outcomes.

 As all of the speakers highlighted earlier, DDR is not just a technical security measure but a political process tied to peace agreements, requiring integration into governance reforms such as Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSR-G) as well as a broader, more holistic approach to democratization.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mediation equally plays a key role in shaping DDR by fostering confidence-building, securing third-party guarantees, and implementing phased reintegration strategies. While DDR presents opportunities for longer-term recovery and reconstruction, it also involves navigating complex dynamics, such as balancing security concerns, addressing the needs of former combatants and communities, and ensuring political commitment.

In this context, the AU Commission aims to convene this first consultative workshop to have a deeper reflection and understanding of the role of DDR expertise and principle in mediation processes, including the design of peace negotiations, the implementation of peace agreements, and related political processes as part of the broader AU-supported peace and security efforts.

The workshop is organized with a clear purpose: to gain valuable insights from you—our esteemed participants, particularly from experts in Member States that have experienced conflicts and successfully ended them through effective DDR programs in their political dimension.

This will help us design more concrete and programmatically sound initiatives on the political dimensions of DDR.

Experience from ongoing DDR processes across the continent highlights that, beyond disarmament and demobilization, reintegration is a critical component of successful DDR programs. It must focus on inclusive socio-economic development, benefiting both ex-combatants and communities at the local, national, and regional levels.

When reintegration fails, conflicts often recur despite peace agreements, leading to the rise of cross-border armed groups and sustaining national and regional instability. This remains a significant obstacle to achieving Aspiration 4 of the African Union’s Agenda 2063: "A Peaceful and Secure Africa."

Your experiences, expertise, and perspectives will directly contribute to shaping the AU’s future engagements and support successful mechanisms for DDR across the continent.

Ladies and Gentlemen,  

It is also important to mention that this consultative workshop is organized within the framework of the African Union (AU) , United Nations (UN) and World Bank (WB) partnership on DDR phase 4 for the period 2023-2025, which emphasizes coordination and partnerships.

 The United Nations Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Standards (UN IDDRS), particularly the module on the Politics of DDR, will serve as our guiding framework for reflection. It highlights that for DDR to succeed, it must be driven by political will and national ownership, integrated into peace agreements, and supported by local communities. It also emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, social cohesion, and the participation of former combatants, women, youth, and civil society in fostering reconciliation. In addition, DDR approaches must be tailored to the specific political, security, and social contexts of each region.

Distinguished participants,

There is no doubt that the diverse stakeholders present here will provide a valuable opportunity for rich exchanges, enabling us to learn from one another’s perspectives.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend our partners—the Berghof Foundation and the United Nations Department of Peace Operations (UNDPO) and UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU)—for their technical and financial support in organizing this workshop.

I wish you fruitful deliberations and I look forward to the outcomes of these discussions.

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