By King’s Correspondents
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA – His Majesty the King has expressed gratitude to member states for their endorsement of Eswatini to represent the Southern African region on the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council for the term 2025-2028.
In a statement submitted to the 38th African Union Summit here yesterday, the King acknowledged the trust placed in the country and pledged to work diligently with other member states to advance peace, security and stability across the continent.
The King emphasised the nation’s commitment to collaborative efforts in promoting peace and security. “We are humbled by this trust and commit to working tirelessly in advancing peace, security and stability across our continent in collaboration with other member states,” he said.
He further highlighted the importance of strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, promoting dialogue and enhancing early warning systems to prevent crises from escalating. “There is a great need for proactive measures to address potential conflicts before they erupt, thereby fostering a more peaceful and stable environment,” the King urged.
Eswatini also emphasised the crucial role of the African Union in mediating disputes and supporting peacebuilding initiatives. His Majesty said the nation believes that reinforcing the AU’s capacity in these areas is essential to ensuring lasting stability across Africa, reiterating the country’s commitment to working closely with other member states to achieve these shared goals during Eswatini’ tenure on the Peace and Security Council.
According to the AU, the mandate of the five (5) Members of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC), who were elected for a three-year term in February 2022 during the 35th AU Summit, will end on March 31, 2025. The rotating three-year term five seats were accordingly up for grabs at the ongoing 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly.
It is not a requirement that the candidates for the election of the five seats be states different from those currently serving in the PSC. Article 5(3) of the PSC Protocol stipulates that member states may serve for consecutive terms, allowing the current PSC members to apply for an additional term. The Protocol allocates one of these five seats each to the five regions of the AU. As such, states from the five regions run for the one seat allocated to each region that they belong to. Southern Africa decided to vote for Eswatini this time around which was endorsed by a majority AU member states.
