From 28 to 31 July, the African Union Commission, with support from the United Nations Office to the African Union and other partners, convened the second cohort of the AU Fellowship Programme on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Addis Ababa.
The year-long fellowship brings together 15 diplomats and professionals from Africa’s five sub-regions to strengthen African expertise and leadership in disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, and peace and security diplomacy. The programme combines training, mentoring, research and field visits covering conventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, emerging technologies and relevant continental and international frameworks.
AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of UNOAU, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, inaugurated the second cohort on 28 July, underscoring the importance of investing in a new generation of African experts equipped to address current and emerging security challenges.
During the week, fellows engaged with African and international experts on small arms and light weapons control, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform, mine action, weapons of mass destruction, emerging technologies and defence diplomacy.
The Fellowship Programme contributes to the AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative and Agenda 2063 by strengthening African capacity, ownership and engagement on disarmament and peace and security issues.
