TANZANIA will today assume the chairship of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) this month.
According to the statement made available to ‘Daily News’ by Tanzania Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of the African Union (AU) Mr Innocent Shiyo, the chairship of the country in the council will run until 31st March 2023.
According to the statement as the chairship, Tanzania has proposed seven agenda items to be included in the programme of March 2023, out of which, one will be held at the ministerial level and the other six at the level of Ambassadors.
The report highlighted some of the agenda to be discussed including a status report on the implementation of the Continental Structural Conflict Prevention Framework (CSCPF), which involves the Country Structural Vulnerability Resilience Assessment (CSVRA) and Country Structural Vulnerability Mitigation Strategy (CSVMS).
“The first session will be held on March 1st 2023 (today), where the council will consider the Status Report on the implementation of the CSCPF, which will include CSVRA and CSVMS,” the statement read in part.
Adding; “The AU PSC adopted the CSCPF as robust early warning and response tool to guide structural conflict prevention efforts in Africa.”
The statement said during the meeting, Tanzania expect the AUPSC to underscore the objectives of the CSCPF and reiterate calls for member states to accede to the tool, adding that the outcome document will be a communiqué.
In a related development, the statement unveiled that on Friday, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Dr Stergomena Tax will chair the meeting of the council, where in turn the council will receive a briefing from the Panel of the Wise on its activities in Africa.
“The meeting, which will be held at Ministerial Level and chaired by the Dr Tax, will provide a key platform for engagement between the AUPSC and the Panel of the Wise,” the statement added.
The statement also said that on March 14th, this year the AUPSC will hold an open session on Women, Peace and Security in Africa.
“This meeting will underscore the disproportionate impact of conflict and insecurity on women, reiterate the commitment of the PSC to tackle these challenges, and offer an occasion to review opportunities and gaps in on-going initiatives, and areas for new interventions,” statement revealed
In particular, the statement unveiled on 20th to 23rd, the council is expected to undertake a field mission to the DRC with a view to obtaining first-hand information on the ground and express solidarity with the Congolese.
According to the statement, Tanzania’s Chairship will end on the 31st March 2023 with holding a session to consider two agenda items, namely the outcome of the field mission in DRC and an Updated briefing on SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) as it had previously directed.