Communiqué of the 1189th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, held on 1 December 2023 on the Briefing on (a) Private Military Companies and the Review of the 1977 Convention on Mercenarism and (b) outcomes of the 3rd Edition of the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence - 2023 Luanda Biennale.

Abstract

While recognizing the sovereign prerogatives and legitimate rights of Member States to choose the means of security response to crisis situations, in pursuit of their national security agenda, Council stresses the fundamental imperative for the concerned Member States to regulate such irregular private military and security companies and to fully comply with international law, as well as international norms and conventions.

Council decided that the AU Commission should establish a task group to fast track the review of the 1997 OAU Convention and to conduct regular monitoring, analysis of the activities of irregular private military and security companies, and mercenaries in Africa and report annually to Council.

On 2023 Luanda Biennale; Council expressed appreciation to His Excellency, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, for his personal commitment towards the promotion of the culture of Peace and his efforts to successfully implement and consolidate the peace, security, governance and development agenda of the continent. Council also underscored the need for expansion of the culture of peace and efficient use of digital technologies as well as the need for effective alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly, Goal 5 on access to technology.