Brief to the UN Security Council on Lessons Learned and Experiences as Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa

Thank you, Madam President,

I thank members of the Security Council for the honor, privilege, and confidence bestowed on Kenya to chair the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa for the last two years.

As set out in the Presidential Statement S/PRST/2002/2, the mandate of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa is both advisory and analytical to support the work of the Security Council on issues pertaining to peace and security in Africa.

A significant portion of the agenda of the Security Council focuses on African countries and issues. At the very start of our chairing of the Ad Hoc Working Group, we resolved to be sensitive to the perspectives and opinions of those most affected by instability and insecurity.

In this regard, we adopted the theme "Listening Better to African Country Perspectives, and Learning Lessons from Successes in Conflict Prevention, Resolution and Transition" as our guiding principle in the identification of topics and conduct of meetings of the Ad Hoc Working Group.

As a first step, we asked ourselves the following: What needs to be understood better, and taken into account by the Security Council, according to African countries who are on the agenda? What are the insights and lessons learned on issues before the Council? What lessons can we learn from countries and regions that have successfully managed to transition from protracted conflict situations into political stability and peace? How can the Security Council effectively take these lessons into account as it shapes peace operation mandates and engages with country and regional political processes and dynamics? What are the key stakeholders, cross-cutting issues and dynamics, particularly those with a regional basis, that are integral to successful conflict prevention, mediation and resolution?

Informed by these, Kenya first embarked on bilateral consultations with African countries who are at different stages of the peace-conflict continuum. The aim of this listening exercise was for the Ad Hoc Working Group to identify, pro-actively engage, and proffer nationally- and regionally-owned recommendations that would enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Security Council in responding to challenges of peace and security in Africa.

To enrich our discussions, Kenya invited and provided an opportunity for the countries concerned to participate in the Ad Hoc Working Group meetings and share their experience and perspectives on the topics under consideration. We also ensured that key crosscutting issues, including but not limited to: women, peace and security; youth peace and security; peacebuilding; children in situations of armed conflict; and protection of civilians, were part of the discussions, and were contextualised and reinforced through a call to national ownership and leadership in addressing their related challenges.

Madam President,

Kenya also endeavored to strengthen the partnership between the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council in keeping with the UN Charter, the principles of complementarity, and respect for African ownership and leadership in seeking solutions to the challenges of peace and security on the continent.

Before tabling proposals for 2021 and 2022, we reviewed the previous reports of the Ad Hoc Working Group, and previous recommendations of the Joint Annual Seminar and the Joint Annual Consultative meetings between the Security Council and AU's Peace and Security Council, as well as UN documents on the contemporary issues of peace and security in Africa. Our Annual Programme of Work built on these outcomes, while looking ahead at emerging issues.

During the last two years, we were able to convene nine meetings of the Ad Hoc Working Group: two were dedicated to the respective annual programme of work; three were on the preparations for the 15th and 16th Annual Joint Consultative meetings between the members of the UN Security Council and AU Peace and Security Council; and the remaining four were discussions on thematic issues as follows:

First was on "Doing Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Better: DDR+". The objective of this session was to identify the issues, trends and challenges relating to DDR in Africa. We evaluated emerging lessons related to DDR design and implementation when dealing with militant and terrorist organizations whose arsenal include ideological conditioning of fighters. Members also made some recommendations on how to better deploy and support DDR, with the "+" allowing space for consideration of what is further needed for the evolving security landscape in Africa.

Second was on "Implementation of the Secretary-General's Reports on Causes of Conflict and the Promotion of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa — The Peace, Security and Development Nexus." The objective here was to consider the nexus between conflict and underdevelopment using the Secretary-General's reports on Causes of Conflict and the Promotion of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa as a starting point. Kenya partnered with the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and the Peacebuilding Commission to comprehensively identify key trends and opportunities for the Security Council's constructive intervention in hotspots where this linkage between conflict and development is most pressing.

The discussions pointed to the need for enhancing such partnerships within and outside the UN including urgent and meaningful support to regional organizations, in particular the African Union and its Member States, to operationalize regional and national instruments for state-building, peacebuilding and structural prevention, which address the root, proximate, and structural causes and drivers of conflict including those posed by climate change.

Third was on "Addressing National Conflict Situations Featuring Terrorist Groups and Illegal Armed Groups with a Transnational Character". This meeting assessed the threat, scope, and destabilizing power of transnational illegal armed groups and terrorist groups, the existing and possible measures that the UN Security Council could utilise in addressing such situations, as well as the key strategy, policy and technical elements for cross-border coordination to address challenges posed by transnational terrorist groups and illegal armed groups.

Fourth on "Peace Processes & Peace Agreements: Design, Strategies and Approaches to Conflict Resolution in Africa". The objective was for members to exchange views, and assessments of the achievements and challenges of the agreements and strategies that the UN has used in peace processes in Africa. The outcome included home-grown proposals on how and when peace processes may be advanced with better utilisation of existing regional initiatives, and the role of peers.

Madam President,

The Ad Hoc Working Group also facilitated the successful hosting and consensual adoption of two substantive communiques during the 6th Informal Joint Seminar and the 15th Annual Joint Consultative meeting between the members of the UNSC and AUPSC held on 16-17 December 2021, and the 7th Informal Joint Seminar and the 16th Annual Joint Consultative meeting between the members of the UNSC and AUPSC held on 13th-14th October 2022. Prior to the two annual meetings on 24 November 2021 and 11th October 2022, the Working Group members held joint consultations with the AUPSC Committee of Experts for negotiations of the Joint Communiqué.

Kenya is particularly pleased that the two Councils were able to discuss and agree on the way forward regarding several issues including: strengthening of working methods and having a common vision for Africa; promotion of peacebuilding for sustaining peace in Africa; strengthening of AU and UN Peace Operations in Africa including an exchange of views on predictable and sustainable financing for AU-led peace support operations through UN assessed contributions that needs follow-up and finalisation; situation in Somalia and international engagement with Somalia post-2021; combating terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism in Africa; support to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM); the situation in West Africa and the Sahel; the situation in the Great Lakes region; and the issue of application of sanctions in conflict situations in Africa.

Madam President,

The forementioned activities include many firsts that we strongly urge the Security Council to remain seized of. The causes of conflicts, as well as strategies that could be deployed for prevention and resolution are multifaceted. The working group serves as an important forum for discussion and reflection on emerging systemic threats that affect the continent.

Today, efforts to prevent violent conflicts from breaking out, or from escalating, or preventing resolved situations from relapse, must involve an array of institutions, actors, and strategies. Collaboration and coordination between the UN, regional, and subregional organizations in particular, is critical. Kenya therefore ensured the participation of the representatives of regional and subregional organizations, civil society, academia, women, youth, and national actors from Africa in the interactive meetings of the Ad Hoc Working Group. This was critical in ensuring that the Ad Hoc Working Group served as a forum for relevant stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing coordination and coherence in their activities.

We are pleased that together, we managed to reinvigorate and strengthen the partnership between the UNSC and AU PSC. However, much more remains to be done.

Moving forward, I would encourage the incoming Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group with support of Council members to work on modalities through which the discussions and recommendations from the Working Group can be followed-up to add immediate value to the work of the Council. The discussions would also benefit from more active engagement at Ambassadorial level.

The recommendations from each meeting once adopted, could also form a working paper for the Security Council. The same could be applied to facilitate implementation of the Joint Communiqués.

The Working Group is also a good platform through which the Council and AUPSC can hold more regular meetings and maintain close dialogue on emerging issues to supplement the discussions held during the Annual Joint Consultative meetings. The Ad Hoc Working Group could also be utilised for horizon-scanning briefings on emerging global issues that impinge on peace and security in Africa.

To enrich its deliberations, the Working Group should consider utilizing field visits. This could involve synchronising of joint field visits including conducting Joint visits with other Committees. We recommend that the Chair of the Working Group consider making an annual trip to Addis Ababa to gain an enhanced understanding of the AU's work on conflict prevention, management and resolution.

To conclude, I express Kenya's deep gratitude to all Council members for the cooperation and support. I thank our experts who brought in a lot of value to our discussions with their experience, concrete proposals, and recommendations during our meetings. We also express gratitude to our colleagues at the UNDPPA, SCAD, as well as all UN and AU officials, the briefers and resources persons, and all UN Member States for their contribution, support, time, and cooperation.

Thank you, Madam President.