The African Union (AU) is increasingly focusing on the role of women in peace and security as part of its 2015 theme: women’s empowerment and development towards the implementation of Agenda 2063. This will also be the theme of the upcoming AU summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The PSC discussed the African position on the review of United Nations (UN) peace operations. Cooperation between the UN and the AU in peacekeeping in Africa has become increasingly important.

The crisis facing migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Europe has sparked new debate over how best to solve the unstable situation in Libya. The country is being described as a failed state.

Dr Benjamin Djoudalbaye, head of mission support operations at the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa speaks about the many lessons learnt from the AU’s effort against Ebola.

The publication of the PSC Report is made possible support from the Government of the Swiss Federation and the Hanns Seidel Stiftung. The ISS is also grateful for the support of the following members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.