The African Union Commission will convene the 14^th High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability in Africa under the theme, “Resetting Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation for the 21st Century in Africa” in Cairo, Egypt, from the 17^th to the 18^th of October 2023. The Retreat bringing together the Commission’s leadership and Special Representatives and Special Envoys from other regional and international organizations, including the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU), will provide the opportunity to reflect on how to re-energize preventive diplomacy and mediation and recentre it at the heart of the African Union’s interventions across the African Continent. The Retreat is being organized in collaboration with the Government of Egypt and the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA).

During these two days, policymakers and decision-makers will reflect on strengthening existing formal and informal preventive diplomacy mechanisms to ensure they can effectively respond to emerging threats to political stability. They will also reflect on how to reinvigorate preventive diplomacy and mediation and foster strategic partnerships between multilateral and independent institutions in a changed continental and geo-political context.

The High-Level Retreat will be preceded by the Inaugural Retreat of the AU Commission, AU SRCCs and the UN SRSGs towards enhanced cooperation and collaboration in peace and security, which will be held on the 16^th of October 2023. This platform will foster joint consultations, analysis, and engagement between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN).

From the 16^th to the 18^th of October 2023, the African Union and its partners will therefore reflect on ways to prioritise conflict prevention and mediation while ensuring inclusivity, strengthen UN-AU-RECs/RMs cooperation in addressing conflicts, ensure coherence and complementarity and leverage on each institution’s comparative advantage to prevent and manage conflicts in Africa.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr Paschal Chem-Langhee, Communications Coordinator a.i | Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security | African Union Commission | E-mail: Chem-LangheeP@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
Web: au.int | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube