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ISS/TfP co-organised a Maiden Conference of the African Union: Police Strategic Support Group
18 Sep 2014
The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Training for Peace (TfP) Programme in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the AU Office Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) organised the maiden Police Strategic Support Group (PSSG) Conference from 23 to 26 September 2014 at the AU Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Conference was an intensive technical planning session involving police planning experts assisted by facilitators with the aim of operationalising the PSSG to achieve its strategic objectives.
The PSSG Conference, with over 80 police planning experts from various organisations, built further on the recommendations of the Independent Panel of Experts for the Assessment of the Africa Standby Force (ASF) and inclusive reports by adopting a draft agenda, vision, mission, and set of values and code of conduct. Participants deliberated on gender mainstreaming in police peace support operations; provided recommendations for full and active participation of African police chiefs in peace and security decision-making processes; as well as developed innovative strategies to mobilise the required major and minor equipment for formed police unit (FPU) operations in AU peace support operations. This was coordinated through plenary sessions, presentations and group discussions.
From 10 to 11 February 2014, African police chiefs adopted the “Algiers Declaration” to establish the African Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL). The PSSG Conference also assisted AFRIPOL to develop plans and other instruments to facilitate its establishment and operationalization by developing an optimum structure, a three year operational plan, budget, strategy, and legal instruments. The Conference identified major structural and proximate causes of the challenges that are weighing down police development in the AU Commission as well as deal with serious organised transnational crimes that contribute to Africa not meeting the Millennium Development Goals that foment instability and transnational threats.
The impacts of the PSSG Conference allowed full participation of the African police fraternity, which included police chiefs, in all key peace and security decision-making processes and peace support operations, as well as their formalisation as an integral component of the African Peace and Security Architecture. This was facilitated by providing a clear vision, mission, values, ethics and code of conduct, corporate identity and key tasks for AU police. The Conference further enhanced police structures leading to greater capacity; selection of qualified police personnel for deployment to peace support missions; and provided effective and efficient management of police components in peace support missions amongst others.
Concept note and Agenda:
Conference Concept Note PSSG Maiden Conference
Agenda PSSG Maiden Conference
The PSSG Conference, with over 80 police planning experts from various organisations, built further on the recommendations of the Independent Panel of Experts for the Assessment of the Africa Standby Force (ASF) and inclusive reports by adopting a draft agenda, vision, mission, and set of values and code of conduct. Participants deliberated on gender mainstreaming in police peace support operations; provided recommendations for full and active participation of African police chiefs in peace and security decision-making processes; as well as developed innovative strategies to mobilise the required major and minor equipment for formed police unit (FPU) operations in AU peace support operations. This was coordinated through plenary sessions, presentations and group discussions.
From 10 to 11 February 2014, African police chiefs adopted the “Algiers Declaration” to establish the African Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL). The PSSG Conference also assisted AFRIPOL to develop plans and other instruments to facilitate its establishment and operationalization by developing an optimum structure, a three year operational plan, budget, strategy, and legal instruments. The Conference identified major structural and proximate causes of the challenges that are weighing down police development in the AU Commission as well as deal with serious organised transnational crimes that contribute to Africa not meeting the Millennium Development Goals that foment instability and transnational threats.
The impacts of the PSSG Conference allowed full participation of the African police fraternity, which included police chiefs, in all key peace and security decision-making processes and peace support operations, as well as their formalisation as an integral component of the African Peace and Security Architecture. This was facilitated by providing a clear vision, mission, values, ethics and code of conduct, corporate identity and key tasks for AU police. The Conference further enhanced police structures leading to greater capacity; selection of qualified police personnel for deployment to peace support missions; and provided effective and efficient management of police components in peace support missions amongst others.
Concept note and Agenda:
Conference Concept Note PSSG Maiden Conference
Agenda PSSG Maiden Conference