On 25-26 October 2025, the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Dr Vasu Gounden, will be a Resource Person at the 11th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme for this year’s Forum is Africa in an Evolving Global Order.
The Tana Forum serves as a platform where African peace and security issues are discussed to allow high-level decision-makers and other partners develop new and innovative solutions to the myriad peace and security situations confronting the continent. Specifically, the Forum will: i) provide opportunities for decision-making leaders and institutions to exchange experiences and insights on peace and security issues among themselves to gain new perspectives required to resolve critical peace and security problems; ii) give opportunities to political decision-makers to interact and consult with a critical mass of African constituency and key global actors in the peace, security, and development sectors; iii) contribute to an open and substantive debate on peace and security issues of strategic importance to the continent vis-à-vis the rest of the world; iv) facilitate inclusive dialogue among governments, African security stakeholders; including diverse African voices on the ground on various dimensions and components of peace and security concerns across the Continent; and iv) sensitize and mobilize a broad spectrum of actors and stakeholders to promote awareness of, and the imperative for African ownership of peace and security solutions.
This year’s Forum will aim to: i) assess the evolving dynamics of the contemporary global order and its implications for Africa, including vulnerabilities, challenges, and opportunities; ii) examine Africa’s unique assets, resources, and capabilities that can be leveraged in this evolving global context; iii) highlight strategies and initiatives that can empower Africa to navigate and shape the global order to its advantage; and iv) explore avenues for encouraging dialogue and partnerships to maximize Africa’s potential in a rapidly changing world.
Dr Gounden will be a panellist on the session looking at Conflict Prevention in an Emerging Global (Dis)Order Through a Pax Africana Lens, which will be held on 25 October 2025. The concept of Pax Africana, defined as ‘a peace that is protected and maintained by Africa herself’, originates from Ali Mazrui’s 1967 study. Pax Africana refers to African responsibility and ownership in matters of collective peace and security, as reflected in the frameworks, institutions, and mechanisms central to the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). Conflict prevention is identified as one of APSA’s strategic priorities, and the changes in global political and economic (dis)order influence the causes of conflicts, actor dynamics, and effectiveness of conflict prevention tools. The session will therefore aim to examine practical approaches and provide recommendations on measures that Africa can take to enhance conflict prevention efforts, manage the implications of the emerging global (dis)order in this regard, build on existing achievements, and incorporate lessons learned. The session will focus on questions such as i) How has the emerging global political and economic (dis)order influenced conflict prevention prospects for Africa, and what should be done; ii) how can Africa strengthen and operationalise Pax Africana to improve conflict prevention efforts and outcomes?; and iii) through a Pax Africana lens, what lessons can be drawn from previous conflict prevention attempts and what leverage do these lessons offer moving forward?
In achieving its main and specific objectives, the Forum will result in: i) the continuous conceptualisation and projection of the peace and security issues affecting the Continent from the perspective of African citizens and governments. Hence, focus will be given to the emerging body of “home-grown” African approaches to peace and security challenges and prospects; ii) the building of a vibrant and broad-based constituency on peace and security issues through the establishment of non-threatening platforms for dialogue, networking, and exchange of information between policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. To sustain such platforms, a cross-section of leaders from different sectors will be called upon to act as interlocutors and champions to mobilize “top-down” and “bottom-up” African voices on the peace and security priorities the Continent should be pursuing; iii) progressively engaging Africa in the strategic and pro-active management of peace and security on the Continent, including developing foresight capacities throughout relevant national, regional, and continental organizations across the public, private, and civil society sectors.
The Forum will bring together high-level decision-makers on peace and security drawn from the governmental spheres (Heads of States and Governments, AU organs, and RECs), non-African regional institutions (UN, EU), the African private sector and civil society networks, and scholars and practitioners of peace and security.
Discussions at the Forum aim to achieve three main goals: i) encourage an open and informal exchange of views and experiences, ii) focus on action-oriented and forward-looking outcomes, and iii) remain a consultative forum rather than a decision-making one. To achieve this, the Forum will primarily use interactive panel discussions that actively involve all participants. The Forum also allows for trust-building among key players who would often only meet in settings that are mediated and constrained by diplomatic protocol.
