The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) hosted the 1310th PSC Virtual Open Session on: Migration, Youth, Peace and Security in Africa on 11th November 2025. The session was held in commemoration of African Youth Month in November and took place just days after the conclusion of the 5th Pan-African Youth Forum, which notably included youth voices for the first time in the Council’s open sessions on Youth, Peace and Security in Africa.
The opening remarks from the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cameroon to the AU and current chairperson of the PSC, Ambassador Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, set the tone for the PSC open session by presenting migration statistics that emphasise Africa’s position as a continent with a large number of young migrants, accounting for a significant share of global migration. This framing highlighted the importance of including youth meaningfully in discussions and initiatives on migration, peace, and security.
The Council provided a platform for the five African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPS) as well as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Youth Ambassador on Migration, to brief the Council on the progress within the different regions on the African Continent, highlighting the challenges they are facing as well as recommendations to the Council. In response, the PSC strongly urged the AU, Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) & Member States to prioritise the development, implementation and resourcing of Youth Peace and Security (YPS), National Action Plans (NAPS). Additionally, they emphasised the need to address youth underrepresentation in peace processes, governance structures and decision-making, as well as to increase funding for youth-led peacebuilding initiatives.
The session marks a milestone in embedding migration within the African Peace and Security Agenda, with youth participation at its core, recognising their potential as architects of a prosperous future. The continued work of youth ambassadors and the inclusion of youth perspectives in platforms such as the open sessions on YPS in Africa demonstrate a promising shift in how Africa considers migration challenges and the youth as drivers of change holistically, leveraging these elements to drive continent-wide stability and growth.
ACCORD supports the AU PSC’s efforts to champion a youth-inclusive approach to advancing the peace and security agenda. These efforts align with the ACCORD strategic pillar to enhance the role of youth to prevent, mitigate and resolve complex conflicts in Africa.
