From 23-24 July, the AU, jointly with the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), and with support of UNOAU, organized a pilot high-level training related to the AU’s Operational Guidance Note (OGN) on Oversight and Accountability of the Security Sector, with a specific focus on parliamentary oversight.

The training was part of a process to disseminate the OGN and to build awareness around the different OGNs developed in the context of the implementation of the AU SSR Policy Framework. The main objectives of the training included: the dissemination of the OGN on Oversight and Accountability; to share knowledge among participants on strengthening oversight and accountability of the security sector; and to finalize a training tool for parliamentarians that would complement the OGN to enhance knowledge and skills.

About 25 participants attended the training, including experts on SSR and oversight and accountability of the security sector, members of parliament from several member states, representatives from AU Liaison Offices, member states and RECs/RMs engaged in SSR, including CAR, Ethiopia, Gambia, Lesotho, Madagascar, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, IGAD and ECOWAS.

AUC Governance and Conflict Prevention Director, Patience Chiradza, and the Director of APCOF, Sean Tait, provided opening remarks. The training provided background information on the AU SSR Policy Framework, the different OGNs developed related to SSR and the OGN on Oversight and Accountability for the security sector.

In addition, the training discussed the draft parliamentary training tool and the challenges in conducting oversight, and participants explored how parliamentary tools could enhance good governance of the security sector. Overall, the AU underlined the need to enhance oversight mechanisms to strengthen SSR. Based on feedback, the parliamentary tool will be further improved.