Event

The seminar will be structured around a conversation between Dr Solomon Dersso, the founding director of Amani Africa and Dr Cedric de Coning, Research Professor at NUPI, as well as the audience. The discussion will discuss the latest initiatives by the AU to try to bring an end to the war in Sudan, the next phase of the AU’s Peace Support Operations (PSO) in Somalia, the relationship between the African Union and the United Nations (UN) and discuss what that will mean for possible UN funding for AU-led PSO and what this will all mean for the AU’s new role as a G20 member.

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The African Union’s (AU) ascension as a permanent member of the Group of Twenty (G20) marks a significant milestone in global economic governance. This historic development underscores the continent's burgeoning influence and acknowledges its potential as an emerging global powerhouse. The G20, encompassing approximately 85 per cent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) and over 75 per cent of international trade, has historically been critiqued for its lack of inclusive representation, particularly from the Global South. The AU's membership ushers in a new era of inclusivity and is a stride towards rectifying the representational deficit, promising to amplify the collective voice of Africa's 55 nations within this critical economic forum.

While the AU has taken up this new position at the G20, the institution has gained its international profile through its peace and security work. The significance of AU’s role in this respect, as described in the New Agenda for Peace by the Secretary-General of the UN, serves to fill a critical gap in the global security architecture. Going further, the growing importance of AU-UN partnership was encapsulated with the adoption of Resolution 2719 in December 2023. The contribution of the AU to international peace and security is currently reflected in its role in Somalia and Sudan. In Sudan, the AU’s High-Level Panel on the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan led by Mohamed Ibn Chambas has also been seen as one of the last hopes “to ensure an all-inclusive process towards the swift restoration of peace, constitutional order and stability”. Meanwhile, its continued role in Somalia can be seen as support the state of Somalia and the wider region with an intervention to help sustain the gains made over the last decade and a half. 

About the panel

Dr Solomon Dersso is the founding director of Amani Africa, an independent pan-African policy research, training and consulting think tank with expertise on the African Union’s policy processes, including especially the work of the Peace and Security Council. Dr. Solomon is a leading legal scholar and analyst of peace and security and current African and African Union (AU) affairs. Dr Solomon Dersso served as the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights during 2019-2021. He holds a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand, LLM Degree from the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria and LLB from School of Law, Addis Ababa University. 

Dr. Cedric de Coning is Research Professor in the research group on peace, conflict and development at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). He is also a Senior Advisor for the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in South Africa. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal on Conflict Resolution. He coordinates the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) and supports the Training for Peace in Africa project. He leads projects on Climate, Peace and Security and the review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture. He holds a PhD from the Department of Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosch. His master’s degree is in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. 

The seminar will take place at NUPI from 1 PM - 2.30 PM. Please note that this event will not be streamed.