African Union Peace and Security Council experts on Tuesday began a two-day technical session in Abuja, where they will work on a new framework expected to guide the AU’s peace and security priorities over the coming years, particularly in counterterrorism coordination across West Africa and the Sahel.
The meeting — a Capacity Building Workshop and Preparatory Session for the forthcoming PSC Committee of Experts Retreat — is being held at the National Counterterrorism Centre.
Speaking at the opening session on Tuesday, the National Coordinator of the NCTC, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka said the gathering was a critical step toward aligning strategies and strengthening the AU’s peace and security mechanisms in line with Agenda 2063 and the “Silencing the Guns Initiative”.
“Hosting this important technical engagement at the NCTC is both a privilege and a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s strong commitment to continental peace, stability, and collective security under the framework of the African Union.
“This workshop and preparatory meeting serve as an important platform to strengthen institutional capacities, review progress, and align technical perspectives in advance of the forthcoming PSC Retreat. It offers an opportunity for experts to exchange experiences, identify best practices, and consolidate strategies that will guide the Council’s policy direction on emerging peace and security challenges,” he said.
He noted that Africa faces rapidly evolving security threats, ranging from terrorism and violent extremism to transnational crime and political instability driven by socio-economic pressures.
“Across the continent, we continue to confront complex security challenges. In our West African and Sahel sub-regions, these threats have become interconnected, demanding innovative, coordinated, and sustainable responses,” he added.
The coordinator revealed that in September 2025, the NCTC and the African Union Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation in intelligence sharing, capacity building, and harmonisation of counterterrorism strategies.
The MoU, he said, marked a “significant milestone in operationalising the AU’s Peace and Security Architecture.
Nigeria, according to him, remains committed to providing regional leadership in tackling terrorism.
“No country can overcome these challenges in isolation. Regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, and capacity building are the cornerstones of our collective security,” he said.
Nigeria’s commitment, the coordinator added, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s regional security agenda and the country’s role in stabilising the West African and Sahel region.
“This Centre symbolises our nation’s resolve to confront terrorism and promote peace at home and across Africa,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and Cameroon’s Permanent Representative, Dr. Jean Djeunkeng, said the Committee of Experts was fully aware of the responsibility before it and committed to producing outcomes that would strengthen the AU’s peace and security mandate.
“We have the full measure of responsibility, we have the full measure of trust, and we are willing to work together so that the momentum for the success of the Peace and Security Council can move forward,” he said.
Dr. Djeunkeng noted that Africa and the world were experiencing a period of turbulence and uncertainty, and stressed the need for the PSC to improve its working methods so it can better fulfil its mandate of preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts across the continent.
“Our Committee of Experts will examine how to continue improving the working methods of the Council so that it fully plays its role as the permanent body of the African Union in charge of prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts,” he stated.
The PUNCH reports that the workshop brings together representatives of AU member states, the African Union Commission, and regional economic communities.
The experts are expected to examine current gaps in the AU’s peace and security interventions and propose technical priorities that will shape the PSC’s policy direction for the 2026–2030 period.
