The Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development
Fourth Edition
Africa in a Changing World: Re-envisioning Global Governance
for Peace and Development
Cairo, 2-3 July 2024
C onc e pt Note
P e ac e . P rog re s s . P ro s pe rity.
B ack ground pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war –among
others– growth in Africa’s average gross domestic
The world is going through a time of great turbulence product (GDP) fell to an estimated 3.2 percent in
and uncertainty with geopolitical tensions and 2023, from 4.1 percent in 2022.2 Costs of borrowing
polarization fueling mistrust and hindering continue to be elevated, whereby 19 out of 35 low-
collective responses to the “polycrises” confronting income countries in sub-Saharan Africa were either
it. Increasingly, international politics are turning in debt distress or at high risk of distress at the end
into a zero-sum game. Conflicts are on the rise of 2023.3
worldwide, some with far reaching global impacts
Moreover, Africa continues to be engulfed by
and devastating humanitarian consequences
conflict and violence. Six of the twelve least-
such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the war in
peaceful countries globally in 2023 were in Africa.4
Gaza. Hard-won development gains are being
In 2023, Africa continued to be the most impacted
reversed and the policy and fiscal space available
by terrorism with the Sahel as the most affected
for developing countries is shrinking. Collectively,
region, accounting for almost half of all deaths
these developments have laid bare the limitations
from terrorism and 26 percent of attacks in 2023.5
of existing frameworks of global governance and
New and protracted conflicts in Sudan, the Horn of
bring into question their ability to deliver on the
Africa, the Sahel, and Great Lakes region continue
promise of sustainable peace and development.
to reflect the limitations of African collective
Against this background, a collective strategic security, and its ability to deliver effective and timely
reflection is needed to re-envision global responses. More than 25 million people across
governance and multilateralism. A reconfigured Sudan, South Sudan and Chad are experiencing
global architecture should be front and center of deteriorating food security.6 The continent also
this reflection: one that is more representative, just, hosts new waves of internal displacements, with
equitable and better positioned to achieve peace, 83 percent of new displacements in the first half of
security and prosperity for all through integrated 2023 being in Sub-Saharan Africa7 putting to test
and holistic responses. In this regard, the Secretary the resilience of local communities and rendering
General’s report “Our Common Agenda’’ (2021) them increasingly vulnerable to networks of
presented an ambitious vision for the future of traffickers and smugglers. Climate change is also
global governance, and called for “an inclusive and acting as a risk multiplier and a prominent driver of
effective multilateralism that better responds to displacement, particularly when compounded with
humanity’s most pressing challenges.” It also called armed conflict, disrupting mobility patterns and
for a “New Agenda for Peace’’ anchored in a peace spurring further conflict over dwindling resources.8
continuum that addresses the drivers of conflict and
Africa’s contribution to these global conversations,
fragility,1 and seeks to build on the foundational
Agenda for Peace’’ presented by Boutros Boutros- 2 African Development Bank. “Africa’s Macroeconomic Perfor-
mance and Outlook - January 2024”, February 2024. https://www.afdb.org/
Ghali in 1992, which brought together preventive en/documents/africas-macroeconomic-performance-and-outlook-janu-
diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping and ary-2024
3 International Monetary Fund. “Regional Economic Outlook
peacebuilding as a coherent contribution towards Sub-Saharan Africa: A Tepid and Pricey Recovery,” April 2024. https://www.
achieving peace. This year, the “Summit of the imf.org/en/Publications/REO/SSA
4 Institute for Economics & Peace. “Global Peace Index 2023:
Future’’ will present an opportunity to enhance Measuring Peace in a Complex World,” June 2023. https://www.econom-
international cooperation in order to tackle critical icsandpeace.org/global-peace-index/
5 Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). “Global Terrorism
challenges and address gaps in global governance. Index 2024 - World | ReliefWeb,” February 2024. 1] United Nations. “New
Agenda for Peace.” Our Common Agenda: Policy Brief 9 - A New Agenda
Within this global conversation, Africa’s voice for Peace”, July 2023. our-common-agenda-policy-brief-new-agenda-for-
is of vital importance. The continent is under- peace-en.pdf (un.org)
6 World Food Programme (WFP). “Sudan’s war risks creating the
represented in international bodies and fora, such world’s largest hunger crisis, warns WFP Chief,” March 2024. https://www.
as the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods wfp.org/news/sudans-war-risks-creating-worlds-largest-hunger-crisis-
warns-wfp-chief.
institutions, albeit being the most vulnerable 7 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, “Mid-Year
to external shocks not of its own making. Due Trends 2023,” October, 2023.
https://www.unhcr.org/mid-year-trends-report-2023
to multiple shocks including the COVID-19
8 International Organization for Migration (IOM). “Africa Mi-
1 United Nations. “New Agenda for Peace.” Our Common Agenda: gration Report (Second edition). Connecting the threads: Linking policy,
Policy Brief 9 - A New Agenda for Peace”, July 2023. our-common-agenda- practice and the welfare of the African migrant.” March 2024. https://publi-
policy-brief-new-agenda-for-peace-en.pdf (un.org) cations.iom.int/books/africa-migration-report-second-edition
Peace . Progress. Pro sperity.
however, is not merely based on claims of equity (The Decade of Convergence), towards the Second
and fairness, but also on the continent’s ability to Ten Year Implementation Plan (STYIP), dubbed
substantively and meaningfully reshape important the “Decade of Acceleration,” while taking stock of
global discussions that have direct bearing on its progress achieved and drawing lessons learned.
peace and prosperity. Africa continues to offer
solutions and breakthroughs such as launching the O b je c t iv e s
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Building on the outcomes of the past three editions
in January 2021, representing not only a game of the Aswan Forum, the Fourth Edition of the
changer for Africa’s development, but also an Aswan Forum titled:
ambitious trade liberalization scheme since the
establishment of the World Trade Organization “Africa in a Changing World: Re-envisioning Global
(WTO). At COP27, African nations spearheaded Governance for Peace and Development” will bring
international efforts to address the worsening together leaders from governments, regional and
impacts of climate change, including but not international organizations, regional economic
limited to the breakthrough agreement on the communities and regional mechanisms (RECs/
establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, and RMs), financial institutions, the private sector, and
the launch of Climate Responses for Sustaining civil society, along with opinion leaders, scholars
Peace (CRSP), the first ever COP Presidency and key experts, and practitioners for a context-
initiative to address interlinkages between climate specific, action-oriented, and forward-looking
change and sustaining peace. discussion on the new threats and challenges, as well
as the opportunities abound. Grounded in Agenda
Africa is also continuing its efforts towards taking 2063: the Africa We Want and the UN 2030 Agenda
greater charge of its peace and security with the for Sustainable Development, and in anticipation of
finalization of its Post-Conflict Reconstruction and the “Summit of the Future”, the Forum seeks to:
Development (PCRD) Policy, and the move towards • Contribute towards advancing African
greater reliance on African Union-led peace support perspectives on strengthening multilateralism
operations (PSOs) which will now have access to and international cooperation to address
the United Nations assessed contributions in line complex and interconnected challenges to
with United Nations Security Council Resolution peace, security, and development;
2719 (2023). • Outline priorities and actions for
At this critical juncture, the Fourth Edition of fostering effective, integrated, and durable
the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and solutions including through accelerating the
Development will provide a platform for an African operationalization of the nexus;
strategic reflection on the future of international • Foster dialogue and collaboration through
cooperation and global governance. It will also partnerships that are based on principles
present a unique opportunity for forward looking of equality, mutual respect, and national
discussions on fostering more effective, integrated, ownership.
and durable solutions to the peace and security
challenges facing Africa, that empower women
and youth and accelerate the operationalization
of the peace- security-development (PSD) and
humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus, a
key priority of the Aswan Forum since its launch
in 2019.
The timing of the Forum could not be more
opportune, ahead of the Summit of the Future
and at a time when the AU is marking 60 years
since the first African Summit held in Cairo in
1964, and commemorating the 20th anniversary
of its Peace and Security Council. The forum also
coincides with the transition from the First Ten
Year Implementation Plan (FTYIP) of Agenda 2063
2
through policy engagement, capacity building and
research, in collaboration with a broad range of
partners to ensure holistic and integrated responses.
Preparatory Workshops
21 March 2023 (Virtual)
Perspectives from Africa on Pathways for Peace:
5 Years of Prevention
30 May - 1 June 2023 (Cairo)
The Review of the African Union Post-Conflict
Reconstruction and Development Policy
20 June 2023 (New York)
Strengthening Cooperation to Enhance
Terrorism Responses in Africa
November 2023 (Cairo)
Multilateral Partnerships on Climate, Peace and Security
30 November - 1 December 2023 (Addis Ababa)
The Operationalization of the HDP Nexus in Africa:
State of Play and the Way Forward
Governance and 13 December 2023 (Addis Ababa)
O r g a n iz a t io n a l S t r u c t u r e From Rhetoric to Reality: Placing Women’s Participation at the
Heart of Global Peace and Security Governance Reform
An International Advisory Board of African and 16 February 2024 (Munich)
global eminent personalities will provide strategic Dawn of a New Era? Resetting the African
direction and guidance. Furthermore, the Cairo Peace & Security Architecture in a Changing World
International Center for Conflict Resolution,
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), under E x pected Outcomes
the guidance of a National Coordination Committee The Aswan Conclusions on Sustainable Peace and
headed by the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Development in Africa. The Aswan Conclusions
acts as the Secretariat of the Forum. The Center are implemented through targeted deliverables
will collaborate with a coalition of African and within the scope of the Aswan Cycle, in collabora-
international think tanks and knowledge partners. tion with the Forum’s partners.
P reparator y P roc e s s
The preparatory process for the upcoming edition
Ve nue a nd Date s
of the Forum is designed to be dynamic and 2-3 July 2024
closely linked to developments and realities on the Cairo, Egypt
ground in Africa. The preparatory process includes
a series of expert workshops and webinars aimed
at developing action-oriented recommendations
for the consideration of African and international
leaders in government, regional and international
organizations, financial institutions, the private
sector and civil society during the Forum. It also
features technical insights and lessons learned from
the field implementation of the Aswan Conclusions
across various contexts in Africa. This will further
feed into “Aswan in Practice”, which aims at bridging
the gap between policy and practice, as well as Aswan Forum Secretariat
Tel: +20 (2) 27 92 89 50
taking forward the Aswan Cycle of implementation Fax: +20 (2) 27 92 89 40
[email protected]
www.aswanforum.org
Peace . Progress. Pro sperity.
