On February 15, 2024, Uganda was re-elected to the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) during the 44th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council for a second two-year term from 2024-2026, edging out Ethiopia and Eritrea. East Africa had four candidates for the two seats up for grabs. Tanzania won re-election for the second East African seat.
It is significant to note that Uganda has been elected five times previously and has served in the PSC for a total of 11 years so far. This two-year re-election will make a total of 13 years.
Speaking from Addis Ababa, and expressing his gratitude for the overwhelming support, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo said “…Uganda’s re-election is on account of the strong and exemplary leadership of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda on matters of regional peace and security, and his active engagement on the same in Africa”.
During her current term on the Council, Uganda has been actively engaged on several issues affecting the continent, including, devoting significant attention to the situations in South Sudan, Somalia (ATMIS), the Great Lakes Region and countries in transition like Sudan, where, on May 27, 2023, the Council convened a meeting at the level of Heads of State, under the Chairmanship of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
During the same month of May 2023 when Uganda chaired the Council, specific attention was paid to various thematic issues related to governance, peace, security and stability on the continent, including but not limited to Terrorism and Violent Extremism; Humanitarian Action in Africa; Women, Peace and Security; and the Ministerial meeting on Financing Peace Support Operations in Africa.
In building on the outcome of that Ministerial meeting and working with the African Members (A3) of the United Nations Security Council; the UN Security Council, in turn adopted resolution 2719 (2023) which authorized African Union led Peace Support Operations to access UN assessed contributions for up to 75% of their annual budget.
“One of the major challenges to the security policy of the African Union and other regional security mechanisms is the lack of sufficient resources. Resolution 2719 was aimed at providing adequate, predictable and sustainable financing of AU led peace support operations.” said Odongo.
March 30, 2024 will mark the end of the mandate of 10 members of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) who were elected for a two-year term in February 2022 during the AU summit and the beginning of a new term for those re-elected. Other members elected to the AU Peace and Security Council include the Democratic Republic of Congo (Central); Equatorial Guinea (Central); Tanzania (Eastern); Egypt (Northern); Angola (Southern); Botswana (Southern); Côte d’Ivoire (Western); Sierra Leone (Western); and The Gambia (Western).
