The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which emphasize the promotion of democratic principles, popular participation, good governance, human and peoples’ rights, and sustainable peace; and also recalling Articles 3(f) and 7(m) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council, which mandate the PSC to support democratic practices, good governance, the rule of law, and conflict prevention;

Further recalling Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.304 (XV)] adopted by the 15^th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held on 27 July 2010, which provided the mandate  for the establishment of a Pan African Architecture on Governance, which was subsequently established as the African Governance Architecture (AGA), as a platform for dialogue between and among stakeholders; and all its previous decisions on the joint engagement with the PRC Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democracy and Governance (HRDG), and the African Governance Architecture–African Peace and Security Architecture (AGA-APSA) Platform; as well as Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.1295 (2025)] adopted by Council at its 1295^th meeting held on 8 August 2025; and Communiqués [PSC/PR/COMM.1095 (2022)] and [PSC/PR/COMM.1098 (2022)], which institutionalized the annual engagement between the PSC, the PRC Sub-Committee on HRDG, and the AGA-APSA Platform;

Recognizing that governance deficits, democratic backsliding, violations of human rights, and weaknesses in constitutional order remain some of the underlying fundamental and structural root causes, drivers and factors that give rise to violent conflict and instability on the continent;

Acknowledging that democratic governance, human rights, peace, and security are mutually reinforcing and require coordinated, integrated, and preventive approaches;

Also acknowledging the importance of strengthening synergies among AU Organs, Institutions, Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), and other stakeholders in advancing the AU governance, peace, security and development agenda;

Mindful of the strategic importance of the African Union’s 2028 Theme of the Year, “Promoting Human Rights, Democracy and Governance to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063 in Africa,” as an opportunity to accelerate collective efforts towards strengthening democratic governance and sustainable peace;

Taking note  of the opening remarks by H.E. Dr. Ambassador Mohamed Khaled, Permanent Representative of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the AU (AU) and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of August 2026, the introductory Statement by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; as well as the statements by H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi and the First Vice Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Human Rights, Democracy and Governance (HRDG) and by H.E. Ambassador Jevin Pillay, Vice Chairperson of the AGA-APSA Platform and Permanent Representative of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to the AU; and

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

  A.      On implementation process

1. Underscores the continued relevance of the annual joint engagement between the PSC, the PRC Sub-Committee on HRDG, and the AGA-APSA Platform as a mechanism for enhancing coordination, policy dialogue, and collective action;

2. Takes note of and welcomes the progress made on the implementation of the previous decisions on PSC as provided in the implementation matrix on AGA-APSA Platform and PRC Sub-Committee on Human Rights Democracy and Governance Consultations and commends the AU Commission, through the PSC Secretariat and the AGA-APSA Secretariat and requests to continue facilitating coordination, monitoring progress, and reporting on the implementation of outcomes arising from the annual joint engagements;

3. Acknowledges progress made on strengthening the nexus between governance, human rights, democracy, peace, security and development on the continent, and commends Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and the AU Commission on the efforts deployed to this effect;

4. Strongly commends the progress in implementation of Agenda 2063 regarding the 53% implementation rate for the 10-year implementation plan (from 39%) attributed to achievements in governance reforms, institutional strengthening, public sector accountability, policy harmonization, and human capital development;

5. Welcomes the assumption, by the PSC, of the Chairpersonship of the AGA-APSA Platform at both the Political and Technical Levels for the period 2026–2028, as an opportunity to strengthen institutional coherence, promote the ‘One AU Approach’ and enhance collaboration between governance and peace and security actors;

6. Takes note of the importance of enhancing early response to early warning and welcomes the finalization of the prototypes and principles of the AU Model on Trigger Mechanism for Early Warning and Early Action, as well as its supporting technical tools, such as Risk and Threat Mapping tool, to be validated by the Peace and Security Council and the upcoming Extraordinary Summit in Luanda;

7. Stresses the importance of meaningful participation of women and youth in peace, security governance and development processes and welcomes the successful organization and conclusions of the 5^th AU Continental Dialogue on Youth, Peace and Security and Women, Peace and Security under the leadership of H.E. President Evariste Ndayishimiye, AU Chairperson and AU Champion for Youth, Peace and Security Agenda;

8. Takes note of and supports the ongoing preparation of the Draft Concept Note and Action Plan for the implementation of the AU 2028 Theme of the Year and emphasizes the importance of the PSC, the PRC Sub-Committee on HRDG, and the AGA-APSA Platform to provide coordinated political and institutional support towards its successful implementation;

9. Encourages Member States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify and domesticate the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and other AU normative instruments; to ensure effective implementation and to fulfil their reporting obligations and, in this respect, commends the submission, by the Republic of Cameroon, of its national assessment Report and encourages other Member States to also do the same;

17. Agrees to convene the next annual consultative meeting and the joint retreat in 2027 in Addis Ababa; and

18. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS