ACCORD has adapted to the new COVID-19 reality, refocusing and restructuring a significant proportion of its staff and its effort on identifying & monitoring, tracking &, analysing, and preparing & responding to COVID-19 related social-unrest and violent conflict in Africa.
Through our networks across Africa, and supported by available online data, ACCORD identifies COVID-19 related incidents and trends that may provide early warning of rising tensions that could develop into social unrest and violent conflict. Once the incidents are captured in the dataset, ACCORD analyses the trends and publishes a weekly COVID-19 Africa Conflict and Resilience Monitor, in order to share the information and analysis with all stakeholders.
ACCORD then works with its in-country networks and other local, regional, continental and international partners and stakeholders, to encourage and support interventions aimed at mitigating, and where possible preventing, COVID-19 related social unrest and violent conflict.
This month we begin the Monitor with an article from Prof. Tim Murithi, who writes about the High-Level Panel that is reviewing the African Union’s (AU) Governance, Peace and Security Policy Frameworks. The High-Level Panel, which comprises of four former foreign ministers and is led by Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the former deputy president of South Africa, will produce a report assessing whether the existing AU governance, peace and security frameworks are adequate for addressing new and emerging threats in a rapidly evolving global and continental security landscape. If not, they will make recommendations for adapting the AU frameworks to ensure they are relevant for future challenges.
This is followed by an article from Dr. Yvan Yenda Ilunga about the current challenges to peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region. The DRC has a number of ongoing peace initiatives, such as the Washington Agreement and the Doha Process, but it also requires internal political and peace processes, involving armed groups and civil society, such as an inter-Congolese dialogue in order to help establish lasting peace and security in the country.
Lesley Connolly and Imane Karimou write about the relationship between the AU and the United Nations (UN) in their article. In particular, the article discusses the relationship between the AU and UN in regards to the protection of civilians. There is a need to elevate the civilian components in peace and security operations, and both the AU and the UN could learn lessons from civilian partners on the ground.
Finally, Judy Njeri Mbugua writes about the upcoming International Relations Society of Kenya (IRSK) Conference taking place in Nairobi this week. The annual conference offers an opportunity for discussions on issues that relate to international relations and diplomacy in Kenya and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. This year the conference is being held under the theme Enhancing COMESA’s Strategic Positioning and Resilience in the Evolving Global Order.
After almost a quarter century of existence, an honest assessment of the AU’s Governance, Peace and Security Policy Frameworks is long-overdue
The past failed attempts by the international community and Congolese actors to restore peace in the DRC show that best wishes and superficial resolutions alone are not enough
Future AU-UN missions can take inspiration from the work of local civil society in the PoC field
If you are able to share information from your experiences on the ground with the crisis in Africa, we'd really like to hear from you. Please get in touch!
