On Monday 5th December, 2016 the Republic of Sierra Leone assumed the leadership of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) and held its first meeting under the chairmanship of Ambassador Osman Keh Kamara, Sierra Leone’s multi accredited Envoy to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union to consider and adopt the “Draft Provisional Programme of Work of the Peace and Security Council for this month”. Upon consideration and subsequent adoption of the Draft Provisional Programme of Work, Council commenced consideration of the PSC Field Mission to the Republic of South Sudan where Council continues to receive reports of fragile security situation, political turmoil, dire humanitarian catastrophe, very serious and unprecedented economic crisis etc.
AMBASSADOR OSMAN KEH KAMARA
All meetings of the PSC will be chaired and moderated by Sierra Leone, either by His Excellency President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma – in the event of an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the African Union Peace and Security Council of the Assembly; or by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr. Samura Kamara – in case of an Extra-Ordinary Executive Council Meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council; or by Ambassador Kamara at Council level.
Some of the items and reports that will be deliberated upon by Member States of the PSC include: Briefing on the situation in Guinea Bissau; Presentation of the outcome of the meeting of the Ad-Hoc High Level Committee on Libya held at the level of Heads of State and Government on 8th November 2016; Consideration of the Draft African Union Master Roadmap on Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020; Situation in the Democratic of Congo (DRC); Briefing on elections in Africa by the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission, Briefing on the outcome of the Retreat of the AU Special Envoys/Special Representatives on Silencing the Guns in Africa, held in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt; among others.
Like the United Nations Security Council which is responsible for the maintenance of global peace and security, the PSC which was established in 2002, is the supreme decision making organ of the African Union for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the continent. Some of the key functions of the PSC include: Anticipate and prevent disputes and conflicts, as well as policies, which may lead to genocide and crimes against humanity; undertake peace-making, peace-building and peace-support missions; institute sanctions; recommend intervention in a Member State in respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity; follow-up promotion of good governance, the Rule of Law, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for the sanctity of human life and international humanitarian law, among others.
The PSC is made up of 15 Member States, which are elected by the African Union Executive Council and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State. Sierra Leone is among the 15 Member States of the African Union tasked with the responsibility of maintaining peace and security on the continent.
Abdul Karim Koroma
Information Attaché
Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
