The African Union (AU) Commission, through its Department for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), convened the 15th AU High-Level Retreat of the AU Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the Commission and UN Special Envoys of the Secretary General, on the Promotion of Peace, Security, and Stability in Africa under the theme “Impact and Sustainability of AU Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation.”
The event, hosted by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, took place from October 25-26, 2024, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and was opened by H.E. Alassane Ouattara, President of Côte d'Ivoire, and H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission.
Aligned with the 20th Anniversary of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and marking the close of the AU Commission Chairperson’s tenure, the Retreat provided an opportunity to assess the AU's mediation strategies, focusing on their impact, relevance, and effectiveness. It also aimed to enhance policy and practice in mediation and preventive diplomacy for the AU’s future leadership, with an emphasis on women’s and youth inclusion, including through the Panel of the Wise’s FemWise-Africa and WiseYouth Network.
Participants included AU Commission leaders, High/Special Representatives, Envoys, Permanent Representatives, the Panel of the Wise, Heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs/RMs), and Special Envoys from the UN, EU, League of Arab States, and other AU partners, as well as experts and academics. Over two days, they reflected on the AU’s preventive diplomacy efforts, explored opportunities for stronger coordination with national, regional, and international actors, and discussed strategies for adapting to evolving threats.
The High-Level Retreat followed the Second Joint Retreat of the AU Commission, AU SRCCs, and UN SRSGs and SESGs on October 24, 2024, a platform to enhance AU-UN peace and security collaboration. Overall, the gatherings aimed to prioritize conflict prevention and mediation, reinforce UN-AU-RECs/RMs cooperation, and leverage each institution’s strengths to prevent, manage, and resolve conflicts in Africa.
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