PAP
Fourth Vice-President Hon. Dr. Arlete Borges represented President Fateh
Boutbig at the AU Extraordinary Summit in Luanda, advancing African-led
conflict prevention and peace building.
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has
reinforced its commitment to advancing peace, democratic governance and
African-led solutions to the continent’s security challenges through its participation
in the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in
Luanda, Angola.
Representing the President of the
Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Dr. Fateh
Boutbig, PAP Fourth Vice-President Hon.
Dr. Arlete Borges participated in the high-level Summit on the
Strengthening of Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa,
held from 29 to 30 August 2026.
Her participation ensured that
Africa’s continental Parliament was represented in deliberations aimed at
improving the African Union’s capacity to anticipate, prevent, manage and
resolve conflicts.
The two-day programme began on 29
August with the 26th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council at the
Intercontinental Hotel in Luanda. This was followed on 30 August by the 21st
Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government at the
Luanda Convention Palace. The African Union’s official programme
brought together AU leaders, institutions, Regional Economic Communities and
Regional Mechanisms, peace and security experts, special envoys, international
partners and other stakeholders.
Summit Assesses Africa’s
Conflict-Prevention Machinery
Convened under the leadership of H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço,
President of the Republic of Angola and African Union Champion for Peace and
Reconciliation in Africa, the Summit provided a platform for a strategic
assessment of the effectiveness of the continent’s existing mechanisms for
conflict prevention and resolution.
The meeting was chaired by H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President
of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union.
Discussions focused on the need to
make Africa’s peace and security institutions more responsive to the changing
nature of conflicts across the continent. Although Africa has developed an
extensive body of treaties, institutions and early-warning mechanisms,
persistent conflicts continue to expose gaps between continental commitments
and their implementation at national and regional levels.
The Summit therefore examined
practical measures for improving the responsiveness, efficiency, coordination
and impact of the African Peace and Security Architecture and the African
Governance Architecture.
APSA provides the institutional
framework through which the AU addresses peace and security challenges. Its
principal components include the Peace and Security Council, the Continental
Early Warning System, the Panel of the Wise, the African Standby Force and the
AU Peace Fund.
AGA, on the other hand, connects the
AU’s institutions and legal instruments dealing with democracy, elections,
human rights, constitutionalism, the rule of law and accountable governance.
Strengthening cooperation between the two architectures reflects the
recognition that violent conflict cannot be addressed solely through military
or security measures. Weak institutions, exclusion, unconstitutional changes of
government, disputed elections, human-rights violations and failures of
governance frequently contribute to instability.
Prevention Must Become Africa’s
Priority
The urgency of the Summit was
underscored by ongoing crises in Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,
Somalia, Libya and the Sahel, as well as insecurity in northern Mozambique and
other parts of the continent.
These conflicts are compounded by
terrorism, violent extremism, piracy, transnational organized crime, illicit
arms flows, the exploitation of natural resources and the mistreatment of
migrants.
Addressing the Summit, Chairperson
of the African Union Commission H.E.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called for urgent reform of Africa’s peace and
security architecture, stressing that conflict prevention must become a
continental priority.
He identified stronger early-warning
capacity, more effective implementation of AU decisions, sustainable financing
for peace-support operations and the full operationalization of the Peace Fund
as essential components of a more effective system. He also emphasized
continuous consultation among the AU Peace and Security Council, the
Commission, Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional
Mechanisms. According to the African Union, no individual
state can successfully confront the continent’s increasingly interconnected
threats on its own.
The Summit also reaffirmed the
importance of African ownership of the continent’s governance, peace and
security agendas. This requires African states not only to formulate
continental policies but also to provide the political will, institutional
capacity and sustainable financing necessary to implement them.
External partnerships, including
cooperation with the United Nations, remain important. However, such
partnerships must respond to African priorities and support—not displace—the
leadership of African institutions.
PAP Participation Highlights
Parliamentary Dimension of Peace building
The participation of Hon. Dr. Arlete Borges carried
particular institutional significance. As the continental body representing the
peoples of Africa, the Pan-African Parliament can help bridge the gap between
decisions adopted by Heads of State and the citizens whose lives are directly
affected by conflict and insecurity.
Parliaments occupy a strategic
position in conflict prevention. Through legislation, budgetary scrutiny,
oversight of security institutions and ratification of regional and continental
instruments, national and regional legislatures can help address the political,
social and economic conditions that give rise to conflict.
Parliamentarians can also promote
dialogue across political, ethnic and regional divisions, monitor the
implementation of peace agreements and ensure that women, young people,
displaced communities and other affected groups are included in peace building
processes.
PAP’s involvement consequently
supports a broader understanding of peace and security: one that goes beyond
crisis response to include democratic governance, social justice, inclusive
development, respect for human rights and meaningful citizen participation.
It also creates an opportunity for
the Parliament to translate the Summit’s policy direction into parliamentary
action through committee work, debates, resolutions, advocacy and engagement
with national parliaments.
Closing the Gap Between Early
Warning and Early Action
Africa does not lack information
about many emerging crises. Warning signs are often visible long before
violence escalates. Political exclusion, hate speech, electoral tensions,
communal disputes, unconstitutional seizures of power and the weakening of
democratic institutions can all signal impending instability.
The central challenge has frequently
been converting early warning into timely and coordinated action.
Strengthening continental mechanisms
must therefore involve clearer responsibilities, faster decision-making and
better cooperation among the AU, regional organizations, Member States and
national institutions. It must also include credible follow-up arrangements
capable of measuring whether agreed interventions are producing results.
The Summit’s emphasis on practical
policy measures is important in this regard. Continental declarations will have
limited effect unless they are accompanied by measurable commitments, realistic
timelines, adequate financing and mechanisms for monitoring implementation.
Parliamentary oversight can
contribute significantly to that process by demanding accountability for
commitments made at continental level and examining whether governments have
incorporated them into national laws, policies and budgets.
Renewing Africa’s Commitment to
Lasting Peace
The Luanda Summit represented
another important step in the African Union’s continuing effort to strengthen
its collective response to conflict and instability.
By participating on behalf of PAP
President H.E. Dr. Fateh Boutbig, Hon.
Dr. Arlete Borges affirmed the Pan-African Parliament’s place within the
wider continental peace and security framework. Her presence also underscored the
importance of involving Africa’s representative institutions in the design,
implementation and scrutiny of peace building policies.
The ultimate test, however, will be
whether the Summit’s conclusions lead to more effective prevention, stronger
mediation, sustainable peace financing and timely intervention before emerging
crises develop into protracted conflicts.
For the Pan-African Parliament, the
next phase should include sustained engagement with the AU Peace and Security
Council, the African Union Commission, national parliaments and regional
parliamentary bodies. Such cooperation can help ensure that peace and security
commitments are reflected in legislation, public expenditure, institutional
oversight and the daily experiences of African citizens.
A peaceful and stable Africa cannot
be achieved by executive action alone. It requires functioning democratic
institutions, accountable leadership, effective continental coordination and
the active involvement of the peoples of Africa through their elected
representatives.
Well done
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