The Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the African Union (AU) Commission will launch the Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Awareness Week from the 7^th to the 9^th of November 2021. This initiative, the first of its kind, aims to bring together stakeholders from across the peacebuilding and development spectra to exchange views on practical ways to support countries in political transition, strengthen resilience and avoid a relapse into armed conflict.

The PCRD Awareness Week will be marked by critical events including the African Defence Attachés Forum to celebrate the first Annual African Flag Day, a virtual High-Level Seminar on PCRD in Africa and a Peace and Security Council Session to examine the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the AU's Efforts on Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa. These will take place on the 8^th, 9^th, and 12^th of November 2021, respectively. African think tanks and institutions will also have separate events during the week and beyond to reflect on how to consolidate PCRD and peacebuilding in the continent.

During the High-Level Seminar, participants from across the continent will critically review the AU PCRD Policy framework and its implementation since its adoption in Banjul, The Gambia, in 2006. They will draw lessons from the last fifteen years to build a more solid and coherent perspective of the AU's policies and activities in PCRD and peacebuilding in general and ensure full compliance by stakeholders with their respective obligations to sustainable peace in the following years.

Participants at the High-Level Seminar will include representatives from the Member States, AU Organs, Regional Economic Communities and Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), Specialized Offices, AU Permanent Missions, the AU Commission, Liaison Offices and Missions.

All Regional Economic Communities and Mechanisms are encouraged to commemorate the inaugural AU PCRD Awareness Week in their Headquarters together with the host country's authorities, with the participation of civil society organizations, the youth, women, academia, and the media.

For further information, please contact:

Paschal Chem-Langhee, Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission
Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: Chem-LangheeP@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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