Joint Press Release: AU-ICRC Roundtable Reinforces Commitment to Strengthening Conduct and Discipline in Peace Support Operations

Since 2016, the AU has annually co-organized a roundtable in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which are technical exchanges on implementing obligations in Article I, common to the 4 Geneva Conventions. It brings together representatives from PSOs, RECs/RMS and other stakeholders offering them the opportunity to discuss real-life challenges and best practices experienced by AU PSO on the African continent. In the past engagements, the participants at the roundtable meetings engaged in discussing thematic areas such as the protection of civilians, detention, and investigations, among others. 

For this 2024 year, under the theme “strengthening conduct and discipline tools and mechanisms in AU PSOs’’, the 7th AU-ICRC roundtable looked at how conduct and discipline tools could be strengthened to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and other relevant norms in the course of AU PSOs. 

The roundtable drew participants from various stakeholders, including representatives from the African Union, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, the Multinational Joint Task Force, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), ICRC, the European Union Delegation to the AU, and the UN.

Opening the Roundtable, General Cheikh Dembele, the Head of AU’s Peace Support Operations Division, whose statement was read on his behalf by Colonel Tom Mpaka, stated, “This 7th AU-ICRC Roundtable marks a critical milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen AU PSOs compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Right Law (IHRL), and the AU standards of conduct and discipline for PSOs.” He reaffirmed AU’s commitment to the implementation of the African Union Compliance Framework (AUCF) to make sure personnel deployed in AU PSOs comply with IHL, IHRL, and standards of conduct and discipline.” Hillary Kiboro Muchiri, Deputy Head of Delegation of the ICRC to the African Union, noted, “this year’s roundtable is set against the significant backdrop of the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, providing an opportune moment for reflection and reaffirmation of our commitment to IHL.” He added, “The success of any PSOs hinges on ensuring compliance and accountability with IHL, IHRL, and the standards of conduct and discipline expected in these operations.” 

The roundtable focused on identifying gaps in the existing policies and frameworks on conduct and discipline and proposing solutions. Some identified gaps included a need for more implementation of the existing policies across all PSOs, a lack of follow-up mechanisms for repatriated PSO personnel accused of misconduct, and better data collection and analysis to inform policy decisions. At the conclusion of the 7th roundtable, participants elicited critical elements of the tools and mechanisms to guide and enrich the ongoing review of the African Union Policies on Conduct and Discipline adopted in 2018, as well as the development of the Conduct and Discipline Mission-Specific guideline. Participants provided good fodder for the development of a package of Training Strategy on Conduct and Discipline, and investigation process. In addition, a roadmap was developed for the implementation of the recommendations of the roundtable. 

Substantive recommendations emerged from the roundtable, including improved monitoring of pre-deployment training, a centralized database for misconduct records, stronger advocacy for court-martials, and regular follow-up by the AU for missions. ICRC suggested increased IHL training for TCC/PCC and a revision of AU guidelines, and it called for a stronger focus on data analysis and the use of universal jurisdiction for war crimes. 

The roundtable demonstrated the commitment of all stakeholders to ensuring that AU PSOs operate per the highest standards of conduct and discipline. The recommendations from this event will inform future efforts to strengthen the AU’s capacity to prevent and address misconduct within its Peace Support Operations.