The African Union Peace Fund convened its first-ever Joint Retreat bringing together all governance bodies of the Peace Fund on a single platform following the full operationalization of its governance architecture.

Held from 08 - 09 May 2026, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, the retreat brought together key stakeholders within the Peace Fund ecosystem, including H.E. Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission representing the Executive Management Committee (EMC), members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), Fund Managers and Peace Fund Secretariat. The engagement marked a significant institutional milestone aimed at strengthening strategic alignment, governance coherence, and coordination across all Peace Fund structures.

H.E. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, underscored the importance of strengthening the strategic role of the Peace Fund in supporting conflict prevention, early response, and resilience-building efforts across the continent.

Reflecting on the governance landscape of the Peace Fund, The Chairperson of the Audit Committee, H.E. Couns. Kalidou Gadio, expressed his confidence in the collective expertise, capacity, and commitment of all governance bodies to advance the strategic objectives of the Fund.

The Chair of the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), H.E. Amb. Maria G. Harrison, highlighted the critical role of the Peace Fund’s evaluation framework in strengthening trust, enhancing transparency, and ensuring that resources mobilized, as well as interventions financed by the Fund contribute meaningfully to conflict prevention and peace efforts across the continent.

The Director of the African Union Peace Fund Secretariat, Mrs. Dagmawit Moges, highlighted the continued institutional growth of the Peace Fund, noting that “the Peace Fund has transitioned from policy ambition into operational reality.” She also affirmed that the establishment of all key governance structures being completed ensures a system anchored in transparency, accountability, and performance.

These engagements provided opportunities for shared institutional reflection and further strengthening the collaboration among the Peace Fund’s governance bodies.

Through the Joint Retreat, the African Union Peace Fund further reinforced its commitment to strengthening institutional coordination, governance coherence, transparency, and strategic collaboration across its governance ecosystem in support of Africa’s peace and security priorities.

For further information, kindly contact:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke I Information and Communications Directorate I African Union Commission I Tel: 0911-

630631 I Email: molalett@africanunion.org I Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Mr. Estifanos Tewodros | African Union Peace Fund Secretariat l African Union Commission | E-mail: pfs@africanunion.org