By Mariatou Ngum & Abdou Mbye
The Gambia today joined other African Union (AU) Member States for the opening ceremony of the 26th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council, being held at the InterContinental Hotel in Luanda, Republic of Angola.
The Gambian delegation at the AU Executive Council is being led by Hon. Sering Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, who attended the opening ceremony alongside senior Gambian officials.
Among those accompanying the Minister are Ms. Fatou Kinneh Jobe, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Musa Mbye, Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Vice President, Deputy Head of Mission at The Gambia’s Embassy in Addis Ababa and Mrs. Tunko Jallow, First Secretary at MOFA.
The Extraordinary Session is focused on “Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa,” bringing together African ministers and senior officials to assess the continent’s existing peace and security mechanisms and consider measures to make them more effective.
Opening the session, H.E. Edouard Bizimana, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, highlighted the need for stronger and more coordinated continental responses to Africa’s persistent and emerging security challenges. He noted that existing mechanisms, including the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the Peace and Security Council, the Continental Early Warning System, the African Standby Force and the AU Peace Fund, provide an important foundation for conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
The session is also addressing the growing threats confronting the continent, including terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organised crime, interstate tensions, unconstitutional changes of government, humanitarian crises, youth exclusion, climate insecurity and emerging technological threats.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, stressed the urgency of strengthening early warning and preventive diplomacy, improving coordination among the AU Commission, the Peace and Security Council, Member States and Regional Economic Communities, and ensuring sustainable financing for Africa’s peace and security agenda.
Convened under the leadership of H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa, the session is expected to contribute to strategic recommendations for strengthening Africa’s capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts and advance the continent’s goal of “Silencing the Guns” by 2030.
The participation of The Gambia in the Extraordinary Session underscores the country’s continued engagement in continental efforts to promote peace, stability, good governance and sustainable development across Africa.