Bianca Urges African States to Strengthen Early Warning, Mediation Mechanisms

Bianca Urges African States to Strengthen Early Warning, Mediation Mechanisms

…Calls for Predictable Funding for AU-Led Peace Operations

By Gabriel Kekong

Abuja (Core Reporters) — Nigeria has called on African countries to strengthen continental early warning systems, mediation initiatives and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as part of efforts to address the continent’s growing security challenges.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call on October 8, 2026, at the opening ceremony of the Consultative Forum on Strengthening the Functional Performance of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture in Abuja.

Against the backdrop of escalating regional security threats, mounting pressures on multilateralism and gaps in continental security frameworks, the minister urged African countries to take greater responsibility for addressing the continent’s peace and security challenges.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed concern over the growing wave of terrorism across Africa, noting that armed groups were increasingly deploying emerging technologies in their operations and financing their activities through proceeds of transnational organised crime and illicit financial flows.

To strengthen Africa’s peace and security architecture, she urged member states to improve the effectiveness of the Continental Early Warning System, reinforce African-led mediation initiatives and promote the African Peer Review Mechanism.

She also underscored the importance of establishing sustainable national peace infrastructures, improving intelligence-sharing among African countries and addressing the underlying causes of insecurity, including local grievances and youth unemployment.

The minister further highlighted the need to strengthen community resilience and increase support for rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for individuals affected by terrorism and violent extremism.

She encouraged African countries to leverage the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre (AUTC) to improve coordination and strengthen collective efforts against terrorism across the continent.

On financing for peace and security initiatives, Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed the importance of complementarity between the African Union Peace Fund and international funding commitments, including those of the United Nations.

She called for predictable and sustainable financing for African Union-led peace operations, alongside enhanced peace support operations through the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.

The minister also advocated the full operationalisation of the African Standby Force (ASF) and regional standby forces to strengthen the continent’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging security threats.

Expressing optimism about the outcome of the two-day forum, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the meeting would generate practical and implementable recommendations to improve Africa’s collective capacity to prevent conflicts, respond to emerging threats and promote sustainable peace and security.

The consultative forum focuses on four priority areas: mediation and preventive diplomacy; early warning and response; counter-terrorism; and peace support operations.

Nigeria expects the meeting to produce actionable recommendations to improve security coordination across the continent, strengthen financing for peace initiatives and enhance the capacity of African institutions to respond effectively to the continent’s evolving security challenges.