The Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security of the African Union, together with the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, and the UN Women Regional Offices for Eastern, Southern, West, and Central Africa, organized a two-day meeting on the Role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in promoting the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Africa. The event took place on 23-24 November 2023, at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
During the meeting, RECs and member countries provided updates on their progress in implementing the WPS agenda. They also shared insights into the lessons learned and challenges faced. The meeting served as a platform for identifying effective opportunities for collaboration across RECs, the African Union (AU), and member states.
Key discussions revolved around the role of RECs in facilitating women’s meaningful participation in peace and security initiatives. Participants also discussed the ways RECs can support coordinated reporting on the delivery of the WPS agenda, using the Continental Results Framework (CRF).
The exchanges among diverse stakeholders underscored a collective commitment to bolstering the role of RECs in advancing the WPS agenda. Participants, including representatives from AU member states, RECs, AU Commission, UN Women, and technical experts, emphasized the urgency to coordinate efforts for the efficient and effective implementation of the WPS agenda.
This initiative fosters regional cooperation and synergy to address the complex challenges and opportunities associated with women, peace, and security in Africa. It aligns with ACCORD’s objective of enhancing institutional responses of the AU and RECs to complex conflicts.
