Africa

AU Peace Fund nets Sh61bn in 2023 for security operations

Security forces from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Mogadishu, Somalia on April 3, 2023. (Photo: (Photo by Abukar Mohamed Muhudin/Anadolu Agency via AFP)

By Ibrahim Omar | Sunday, February 4, 2024

Funding from the kitty has been key in sustaining the operations of security operations in countries facing security challenges.

The African Union Peace Fund (AUPF) collected $384.3 million (Sh61.6 billion) in 2023 from AU member countries to be utilised for peacekeeping and security missions across the continent.

A dispatch from the AU shows that $6.5 million of the collections has since been disbursed to various security missions during the period.

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This includes $2 million which was disbursed to bridge the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) funding gap, and another $2 million was disbursed to support operations of the East African Community Regional Force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A further, $1.5 million for phase II Technical Pause for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and $1 million has been approved for the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration in Northern Ethiopia, Tigray Region to sustain the Pretoria Peace process.

“As of 31st December 2023, the Peace Fund recorded a total amount of $384.3 million. Notably, 34 member states have contributed 100 per cent of their assessed shares, demonstrating a strong commitment to finance peace on the continent,” said the AU.

“A noteworthy mention includes Senegal’s voluntary contribution, further indicating the growing spirit of pan-African solidarity and dedication to securing peace across the continent.”

The AUPF was established in June 1993 to help mobilise and manage resources for peace and security missions within the AU, a continental union of 55 member states.

The Fund’s objective is to provide focused, predictable, sustainable, flexible, and responsive funding to eligible peace and security-related activities on the continent.

Key funds

Funding from the kitty has been key in sustaining the operations of security operations in countries facing security challenges including Somalia, Ethiopia and DRC.

According to the AU, mobilizing private sector funding as well as from other bilateral and multilateral partners is the next frontier for the fund, which is seen as crucial in expanding its scope.

“The Board of Trustees and Executive Management Committee noted the impressive trajectory of the governance of the Peace Fund which will encourage the strategic direction of attracting additional resources from the private sector and other bilateral and multilateral partners to increase contributions to the Peace Fund. The resource mobilization framework will be launched in July 2024,” said the AU.

Factional wars particularly in Central Africa, Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa in recent years have disrupted not only peace but also trade within the region as well as led to the death and displacement of thousands of individuals from their homes.

With these growing peace-keeping and security needs, the AU is developing a resource mobilization framework that aims to expand the contribution and replenishment of the fund to tap into external partners including the private sector.