ECOWAS and African Union to convene second joint consultative meeting on peace and security
15 May, 2025The 2nd Joint Consultative Meeting between the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) at Ambassadorial Level will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15–16 May 2025.
The meeting aims to deepen strategic collaboration between the two institutions in promoting peace, security, good governance and stability in West Africa and the wider African continent.
Building on the outcomes of the inaugural session, which took place at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, 24th April 2024, this second meeting will assess the implementation of previous outcomes, identify lessons learned and chart pathways for enhanced cooperation.
Discussions will focus on the evolving governance, peace, and security landscape in West Africa and the Sahel, in alignment with the AU Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture (EPSA). Both institutions will reaffirm their joint commitment to democratic governance, constitutionalism, and sustainable peace and security.
Key agenda items for the meeting include a stocktaking of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary, with a focus on achievements, challenges, and future directions in peace, security, and governance. Delegates will also discuss joint strategies to combat terrorism and violent extremism, explore ways to strengthen institutional cooperation between the AU Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) and the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC), and review the implementation status of outcomes from the inaugural joint consultations.
The meeting is expected to produce a joint communiqué reaffirming the AU and ECOWAS’s shared responsibility in addressing regional peace, governance and security issues. It will also highlight the implementation challenges and actionable lessons to guide future policymaking and execution.
The event will bring together Members of the AU Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) and Members of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at Ambassadorial level, along with senior officials from key departments and directorates—namely Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Humanitarian and Social Affairs; Early Warning; and Communication.
Both the AU and ECOWAS remain firmly committed to working in close partnership to address Africa’s peace and security challenges through preventive diplomacy, mediation, and coordinated peace support operations.
