The 21st African Union Extraordinary Summit concluded on Sunday with a strong call for member states to translate peace and security commitments into measurable action and to finance the agenda themselves through expanded support for the AU Peace Fund.
According to the Luanda Declaration, read by AU chairperson Évariste Ndayishimiye, governments should move beyond declarations and deliver concrete results in conflict prevention and resolution.
The Luanda summit reaffirmed that sustainable peace must be supported by African resources while cooperation with international partners should respect sovereignty and African‑led solutions.
The African Peace Fund is tasked with mobilising resources for African-led peace and security efforts through a more predictable, member-funded financing.
Established in 1993, the AU Peace Fund is the Union’s principal financing instrument for peace operations, mediation and institutional capacity.
Long reliant on external donors, the fund has faced chronic under‑financing, prompting repeated calls for greater African ownership.
The extraordinary summit identified terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, political crises, cyber threats and geopolitical rivalries as key challenges undermining stability across the continent.
The declaration stressed accountability across AU mechanisms, including the Peace and Security Council, and underscored the need for political will to ensure decisions by heads of state translate into results.
It also highlighted the importance of women and youth participation in peace processes and called for stronger protection of children affected by conflicts.
JN/APA