Current PSC elections revived debates about whether or not membership ought to favour inclusion and equity or regional capability and affect.
The African Union (AU) Peace and Safety Council (PSC) was modelled on the United Nations Safety Council, with each having 15 member states. However not like the UN Safety Council, which has 5 everlasting members who wield veto powers, the PSC’s regional rotational membership, in principle, favours extra equitable decision-making.
Nonetheless, in apply, a number of international locations have constantly served on the PSC, resulting in perceptions that they’re de facto everlasting members. Nigeria has been on the council since its creation in 2004, whereas Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt and Uganda have every served 5 phrases. Underneath the regional illustration mannequin, international locations can retain their seats so long as their areas allow them to take action.
Lengthy-term membership permits continuity but in addition presents some challenges. Since sure states are more and more in search of steady council seats, it’s price weighing up the prices and advantages of a PSC by which regional ‘anchor states’ serve lengthy phrases.
Article 5 of the PSC Protocol says all 55 AU member states have ‘equal rights’ to function council members, with Article 5(1) selling inclusion and equality. However in a seeming contradiction, Article 5(2) spells out qualification standards for members based mostly largely on their capability, successfully establishing exclusion situations.
Over the previous twenty years, the PSC appears to have prioritised equal illustration and rotation of members over international locations’ capability.
The consequence of the 12 February 2025 PSC elections revived the controversy on the continual membership of sure states. Institute for Safety Research’ sources verify that resulting from its late software, the Central African Republic misplaced out on the area’s three-year seat to Cameroon, the only applicant for Central Africa. This successfully prolonged Cameroon’s membership, suggesting it was turning into the area’s equal of Nigeria – which has represented West Africa on the PSC for 20 years.
The problem of dominant regional states additionally got here up within the case of Southern Africa. Regardless of a standing settlement that each one areas submit one candidate based mostly on alphabetic rotation, Eswatini and South Africa notified the PSC Secretariat and Workplace of the Authorized Counsel of their curiosity within the three-year place – regardless of South Africa just lately ending its council time period.
Though Eswatini was given the nod, South Africa nonetheless mentioned the potential of serving with regional counterparts, elevating questions on whether or not equal rights to PSC illustration must be revisited.
South Africa’s bid for the three-year seat displays its affect and contribution to regional and continental peace and safety. The nation was a serious troop and finance contributor to the Southern African Growth Group Mission within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) and the SADC Mission in Mozambique. Its contribution to SAMIDRC alone was about 2,900 navy personnel at a price of R2.4 billion in 2024.
The influence of that function on the nation was not simply monetary. As safety in japanese DRC deteriorated early this yr, 14 South African troopers have been killed, resulting in repeated calls from inside the nation for a withdrawal of troops. Worldwide Relations Minister Ronald Lamola countered that South Africa performed an essential function in sustaining peace and financial stability on the continent.
South Africa’s commitments recommend it’s a regional hegemon able to finishing up PSC obligations. However its standing and enchantment, the nation revered the regional process and ceded to Eswatini.
Cameroon made an equally compelling case to safe its PSC seat till 2028. The nation’s contribution of troops to the Multinational Joint Job Pressure (MNJTF) within the Lake Chad Basin has been constant for the reason that power’s reactivation in 2014.
At a time when Niger has suspended its participation within the MNJTF and Chad has threatened to withdrawNigeria and Cameroon’s continued resolve to fight Boko Haram confirms their dedication to peace and stability. The PSC choice in January 2025 to resume the MNJTF’s mandate for an additional yr means that Cameroon’s presence on the council permits it to affect decision-making and implementation.
Whereas regional anchor states deliver stability and continuity to the PSC, their dominance raises considerations, amongst them a possible battle between nationwide pursuits and regional stability.
Nigeria and Cameroon, for instance, are closely concerned in regional safety operations, primarily in self-defence towards threats similar to Boko Haram. These efforts contribute to broader continental peace but in addition align with the 2 international locations’ nationwide priorities, which can inadvertently bias PSC selections. Regional anchor states might additionally advocate for insurance policies that serve their speedy wants relatively than these of the continent.
One other concern is the disproportionate affect that long-serving states can exert on the council’s agenda. This may occasionally result in anchor states steering the council away from addressing home crises inside their very own borders.
For instance, regardless of ongoing inner conflicts in Cameroon, the nation has not been mentioned meaningfully by the PSC since 2008, besides with regard to cross-border migration. Equally, Nigeria has confronted main inner safety challenges, together with human rights abuses in the course of the #EndSARS protests in 2020. Nonetheless, PSC discussions have targeted largely on the MNJTF relatively than governance considerations inside Nigeria.
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The extended membership of regional anchor states might additionally create interstate tensions. Smaller or much less influential international locations could really feel excluded from PSC decision-making, which might injury regional cohesion. As an illustration, South Africa’s try to increase its time period sparked casual wrangling on whether or not the Southern Africa area ought to comply with alphabetical rotation or favour member state capability and affect in peacekeeping efforts.
As the controversy on whether or not sure states must be allowed a continued PSC presence features impetus, a key consideration is whether or not international locations have the capability to contribute to Africa’s peace and safety.
Because the AU prepares to evaluate its African Peace and Safety Structure, an evaluation of the PSC and, notably, member states’ dedication to and capability for peace operations and peacekeeping must be prioritised. This can make sure that the PSC stays each consultant and efficient in fulfilling its mandate.
Maram Mahdi, Researcher, African Peace and Safety Governance, Institute for Safety Research (ISS)
(This text was first revealed by ISS At this time, a Premium Occasions syndication accomplice. We have now their permission to republish).
