Public Presentation on Ad-hoc Regional Security Arrangements and APSA

A public presentation on ad-hoc regional security arrangements and APSA was organized by the FES AU office and the Laboratory of Analyse Of Societies and Powers – Africa / Diasporas (LASPAD) in July 29, 2021. The presentation and deliberation are based on a study finding made on “Ad-hoc Regional Security arrangements and APSA: A Case Study of ACL-GLR, MNJT, and G5 Sahel Force”. The study explores the influences and implications of ad-hoc regional security arrangements on the AU-APSA processes considering the proliferation of ad-hoc measures and lays a foundation for further studies by analyzing main problems that need to be addressed within the existing security arrangements in the African continent.

During the public presentation, the findings of the study have been scrutinized by a specialist community considering the gains and drawbacks of these ad-hoc setups, their future implication, and influences on the AU-APSA process. The study was challenged if actually the opportunities these mechanisms brought outweighs the challenges, they pose mainly in analyzing if these ad-hoc mechanisms are producing security for the people and if they integrate the human security approach. All in all, the discussion helped to sensitize relevant actors and move forward the debate on regionalized security threats in Africa and APSA response, created awareness on the influences of these ad-hoc setups on the collective security apparatus of AU, awaken the thinking of relevant actors to look deeper into the setbacks the APSA framework has in responding to regionalized and instantaneous security threats.