On 13 July 2026 the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Dr Vasu Gounden, delivered a virtual keynote address during Session III of the High-Level Dialogue on “The Quest for Restoring the AU’s Agency in Peace and Security: Expert Policy Dialogue for Informing the APSA Review and Luanda Summit”, convened by Amani Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, on 13–14 July 2026.
Dr Gounden addressed the session on “Revitalising Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution: Insights from Africa’s Evolving Mediation Landscape.” His presentation explored key developments in African mediation efforts and highlighted the importance of strengthening preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution mechanisms within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).
Dr Gounden’s keynote address was followed by an interactive roundtable discussion involving experts and practitioners from across the continent. The session further examined challenges affecting the implementation of APSA and drew on the experiences of its various components to identify opportunities for strengthening the African Union’s (AU) peace and security framework.The high-level dialogue was convened against the backdrop of the ongoing APSA Review Process and preparations for the upcoming AU Extraordinary Summit on conflict prevention and resolution. The discussions also built on the APSA Review Report presented by Kenyan President William Ruto in his capacity as the AU Champion on Institutional Reform.
The policy dialogue brought together leading experts and practitioners to contribute to forward-looking discussions on the future of APSA and the broader evolution of Africa’s peace and security governance architecture. Key objectives included examining factors limiting APSA’s effectiveness in responding to conflicts, assessing emerging findings from the APSA review process, drawing lessons from ongoing crises, and exploring ways to strengthen preventive diplomacy, mediation and political strategies in addressing conflict.
The AU’s comprehensive review of APSA therefore presents an important opportunity to strengthen the institution’s responsiveness to contemporary peace and security challenges and to enhance the Union’s agency in advancing sustainable peace on the continent.
ACCORD remains dedicated to supporting continental and regional efforts to build sustainable peace and enhance the African Union’s leadership role in advancing peace, security and stability across Africa.
