MINISTER NKOANA-MASHABANE HOSTS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON SA's CHAIRING OF THE AU PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

On 27 July, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, in collaboration with the South African National Editors’ Forum, interacted with the media on peace and security developments on the continent, focusing on the following issues:

•    South Africa’s role as chair of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC)
•    South Africa’s chairing of the Southern African Development Community  (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation
•    Strengthening the AU’s peace and security architecture.

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said that as a member of the AU, South Africa had been afforded the privilege of chairing the meetings for the month of July 2015, in accordance with Article 8 (6) of the Protocol relating to the establishment of the Peace and Security Council.

“With regard to our chairing, South Africa has sought to put at the forefront of the agenda of the PSC for this month critical issues that are at the core of the continent’s efforts to ensure peace and stability. In essence, our engagements have been focused on emphasising the need to enhance elements of the African Peace and Security Architecture, which includes the AUPSC itself, early warning capacity, peace-making and Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development. As South Africa, we equally wanted to bring to the spotlight the issue of peace, just and reconciliation, particularly the need to strike a balance between these important objectives.”

“The work of pursuing peace is relentless and demanding, and we cannot even pause for a moment. For the remaining days of the month of our chairship, South Africa will preside over a meeting on enhancement of the continent’s Early Warning Capacity and another on revitalising the Post-Conflict and Reconstruction and Development mechanism in Africa. While the former seeks to examine our capacity to detect potential threats through the use of appropriate preventive instruments, the latter meeting will focus on mechanisms, processes and programmes needed to reconstruct countries emerging from conflict and to avoid relapses back into crises. Central to the above two themes, is the imperative of identifying and addressing the root causes of conflicts, with the ultimate aim of achieving sustainable  peace and development on our continent."

“ … I have no doubt that South Africa has made a significant contribution to peace. Going forward, we will continue to remain fully engaged in challenges facing our continent, beyond our membership of the AUPSC."

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