The 2nd African Union Workshop on the Review of the AU Policy on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU-PCRD), was held in Cairo, Egypt from May 30th June 1st, 2023. The workshop was hosted by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Department of African Organizations and Communities) and the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), in cooperation with the African Union Commission (Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).

 The workshop was held in the context of the Championship of H.E. Abdel-Fatah El Sisi – President of the Arab Republic of Egypt – of the revitalization and operationalization of the African Union Policy on PCRD (Assembly/AU/Dec.729(XXXII), and in line with the Assembly/AU/Dec.842 (XXXVI), which requested the Commission to finalize the review of the AU PCRD Policy in 2023. It brought together relevant stakeholders and partners involved in the design, planning, implementation, and financing of PCRD and peacebuilding activities in Africa, including the AU Commission, Regional Economic Communities and Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the United Nations (UN), African and international financial institutions, as well as think tanks and civil society organizations. 

The workshop finalized the review of the AU PCRD Policy, while incorporating amendments from member states. The revised policy is guided by the AUPSC Communique 958 (2020) and 1047 (2021), and the AU Assembly Decision AU/Dec. 815(XXXV), which widened the scope of AU PCRD activities to incorporate peacebuilding and cover the entire conflict cycle, namely pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict.

The revised and updated policy strives to enhance operational alignment among relevant AU policy frameworks and regional efforts, as well as the evolving international discourse on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, including the operationalization of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace-Nexus (HDPN) and in tandem with the UN efforts to develop a “New Agenda for Peace”.

The   workshop   reached   the   following   conclusions   and   put   forward   the  following recommendations:

1. Commends the leadership of H.E. President Abdelfattah El-Sisi, Champion of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development, in support of finalizing the review of the AU Policy. And further commends the Government of Egypt and the CCCPA for hosting the 2nd African Union Workshop on the Review of the AU PCRD Policy, in cooperation with the AUC and AUDA-NEPAD.

2. Recommends that the 37th Ordinary Summit of the African Union would consider adoption of the revised policy - based on the guidance stipulated in para 6 and 7 of AU PSC Communique 1047 (2021), and the AU Assembly Decision AU/Dec. 815(XXXV), and welcomes the recommendation of the Champion of the PCRD to rename the policy and related AUC organs and mechanisms, including the AU Center for PCRD, to be the AU Policy on Peace Building, Reconstruction and Development (PBRD).

3. Requests the AU Commission, in collaboration with the AU Champion on PCRD, to develop operational guidelines for the implementation of the revised policy in order to achieve policy coherence between the policy and other AU instruments, providing the overarching nature of the AU PCRD/PBRD policy.

4. Applauds the efforts of the AU Commission with regards to the establishment of the AU Centre for PCRD / AUC-PBRD in Cairo, and encourages the AU Commission to expedite the launch of its operations, as soon as possible, with a view to implement its mandate as outlined in consecutive AU Organs decisions and communiqués.

5. Reiterates the central role of the AU Centre for PCRD/ AUC-PBRD in implementing the AU PCRD/ AU PBRD Policy, developing programmes for building and sustaining peace, and implementing them in conflict-affected countries in partnership with relevant regional and international partners, in line with relevant PSC communiqués.

6. Welcomes the establishment of the AU PCRD / AU PBRD working group, in line with PSC communiqué following its 1122nd meeting held in November 2022, with the aim of ensuring a coordinated and coherent AU-wide response in conflict-affected countries. And further calls on establishing the PSC subcommittee on PCRD/PBRD in line with PSC communiqué in its 958th meeting held in October 2020, in order to complete the envisaged Peacebuilding architecture.

7. Encourages the AU Commission to mainstream peacebuilding in relevant AU structures and organs, in order to achieve institutional integration on the issues of peace, security and development, and to allow for operational complementarity among the AU Peace and Security Architecture, the African Governance Architecture, within the context of Agenda 2063, and its implementing programme through AUDA-NEPAD.

8. Highlights the importance of an integrated approach to peacebuilding in countries affected by conflict that address the humanitarian, peace and security, development and governance needs of these countries; the HDPG Quadruple nexus.

9. Applauds AUDA-NEPAD for the elaboration and development of its programme on the triple nexus project on peace, security, and development.

10.Commends the contribution of "The Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development" in operationalization of the HDP Nexus and in bridging the policy-practice gap, in collaboration with the AU Commission and through the pursuit of “African solutions to African problems”.

11. Encourages international partners, including the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, as well as international and regional financial institutions, including the African Development Bank, to align and coordinate their peacebuilding-related efforts in Africa with nationally led peacebuilding, regionally and continentally supported, efforts including through the role of the Commission and the AUC-PCRD / AUC-PBRD.

12. Highlights the importance and centrality of securing sustainable and predictable resources for peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts in Africa, in line with relevant AU Assembly and PSC decisions and communiqués.

13. Highlights the role of civil society, particularly women and youth, and private sector to support states’ efforts in PCRD/Peacebuilding.