The 13th African Standby Capacity (ASC) Annual Coordination Meeting took place from 20–23 April 2026 in Cairo, Egypt. Convened by the African Union Commission (AUC) through its Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), with support from the Training for Peace (TfP) Programme through ACCORD, the meeting was hosted by the North African Regional Capability (NARC) Secretariat in partnership with the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA).
This year’s meeting was particularly significant as it marked just over a decade of the ASC Roster’s contribution to strengthening civilian capacity for AU Peace Support Operations (PSOs). Held alongside a dedicated 10-Year Anniversary Reflection Event on 22 April 2026, the meeting brought together representatives from the AUC including the Human Resources Management Directorate, Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and the United Nations Office to the AU (UNOAU). The discussions focused on reviewing progress in the operationalisation of the ASC Roster and reflecting on its evolution since its launch in 2015.
Reflecting on the 10 years ASC , stakeholders to assessed key milestones achieved, identified persistent challenges and shared lessons learned from both continental and regional perspectives. Discussions also contributed to the ongoing review of the ASF, ensuring that the ASC Roster remains aligned with evolving peace and security priorities on the continent.
In line with previous recommendations to adopt a more integrated approach, the meeting also included participation from military and police components. This multi-dimensional engagement aimed to enhance coordination among the civilian, police and military components and improve the predictability and readiness of capabilities for AU PSOs. Updates were shared by the AUC, RECs/RMs and partners on ongoing ASC activities, while discussions also focused on strengthening the integration of the ASC Roster within AU and regional human resource frameworks.
ACCORD, as the AUC’s primary technical and implementation partner on the ASC Roster continues to support efforts to strengthen the operational readiness of civilian personnel through the TfP Programme, and remains committed to advancing the African Standby Force by contributing to the development of a reliable and deployable pool of civilian expertise.
