Tanzania re-elected as AU’s Security Council member

Esther Takwa]

TANZANIA: Tanzania has been re-elected as a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) with a two-year mandate effective immediately.

In addition to Tanzania, nine other members were elected to the Council earlier this week: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Egypt, Angola, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Gambia.

According to information shared by the AU on its verified X platform (formerly Twitter), their membership is effective from April 1, 2024.

Following Tanzania’s re-election, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr. January Makamba, reposted the AU’s information and thanked those who voted for Tanzania.

“Tanzania has been re-elected as a Member of the African Union Peace and Security Council upon the withdrawal by Ethiopia and Eritrea of their candidacies in support of ours. Grateful for their support and for the near-unanimous votes for us by the AU Executive Council,” Mr. Makamba wrote.

The AU stated that March 30, 2024, will mark the end of the mandate of the 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.

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) is the standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

It is a collective security and early warning arrangement intended to facilitate timely and efficient responses to conflict and crisis situations in Africa.

According to AU website, the powers of the PSC, in conjunction with the Chairperson of the AU Commission, include anticipating and preventing disputes and conflicts, as well as policies, which may lead to genocide and crimes against humanity as well as undertake peace-making and peace-building functions to resolve conflicts where they have occurred.

The council is entitled to authorise the mounting and deployment of peace support missions, and lay down general guidelines for the conduct of such missions including the mandate as well as ensuring the implementation of key conventions and instruments to combat international terrorism
Promote harmonisation and coordination of efforts between the regional mechanisms and the AU in the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.