The fourth edition of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, titled “Africa in a Changing World: Re-envisioning Global Governance for Peace and Development”, held in Cairo, ended on a high note on 3 July, after two days of rich in-depth discussions and valuable knowledge-sharing with nearly 600 in-person participants.

High level participants in this fourth edition included the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a number of foreign and technical ministers from African countries, as well as the Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs.

Other key participants included senior officials from governments around the globe, the United Nations (UN),  the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, heads of African specialized institutions, such as the AU Agency for Development (AUDA NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), among others, representatives of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), senior officials from International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and Regional Development Banks as well as the heads of several international forums and think tanks (such as the Munich Security Conference and International Crisis Group).

The broad and diverse participation reflects the unique positioning that the Aswan Forum has come to occupy, becoming a fixture on the global and African agendas. In this regard, many participants expressed their appreciation to Egypt for its initiative to hold the fourth edition at such a a critical juncture in order to raise Africa's voice in international fora and advance collective solutions in the face of growing polarization.

This fourth edition of the Aswan Forum coincided with a pivotal moment in the rapidly evolving security landscape, with unprecedented global and regional security challenges. As highlighted by H.E. Thérèse Kayikwamba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of Congo, “We are at a pivotal moment that calls policymakers to contemplate their political will and the imperative to engage in difficult but necessary conversations and indeed, the Aswan Forum was designed to be that platform which provides a space for these difficult but necessary conversations.”

The Forum addressed a variety of topics, with a particular focus on advancing Africa’s perspectives and priorities on peace, security, and development, in preparation for the Summit of the Future next September, including the urgent need to reform the multilateral system and international governance frameworks, and to strengthen the international agenda for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the AU Peace and Security Council, the discussions also outlined priorities and actions to accelerate the adoption of more effective and integrated African responses to peace and security challenges on the continent, within the framework of strengthening the nexus between peace, security, and development (PSD); confronting the rise of extremism leading to terrorism; integrating displacement in peacebuilding and development plans; recalibrating partnerships based on mutual benefits; building resilient state institutions; and leveraging the contributions of women and youth to achieve long-term sustainable peace and development.

Discussions also touched on the future of peace operations in an evolving African landscape; advancing post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) efforts; developing African-led responses on climate, peace, and security in anticipation of COP 29; and bringing forward youth perspectives on education for peace in line with the AU’s 2024 theme on education.

The fourth edition was also marked by innovative features, including the launch of the African Network on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism — an Aswan Forum initiative, spearheaded by the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) and partners, to bridge the gap between knowledge, policy, and practice in this area. The network was launched in the presence of a number of senior officials, including the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Mali and Djibouti, the Advisor to the President of Somalia on P/CVE, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and representatives from the AU and civil society.

The Aswan Forum PCRD Award, the first of its kind in Africa, was another new feature of this year’s edition, with the aim to recognize and promote African-owned solutions and responses to the continent’s most pressing challenges. The award was presented to Neem Foundation in recognition of its impactful work in fostering peace and development among conflict-affected communities in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Region. Dr. Fatima Akilu, Executive Director of the Foundation, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the recognition, especially that it is from an African platform, saying, “For us, as African peacebuilders, having others on our continent aware of our work, noticing what we are doing, wanting to reward us, and receiving the award on African soil — I can’t even tell you how much that means."

As the Secretariat of the Aswan Forum, CCCPA signed a number of memoranda of understanding during the Forum to cement partnerships which contribute towards advancing peace and development in Africa with key partners, including the Government of Japan and UNDP, AUDA-NEPAD, and the UN Office to the African Union. Some of these collaborations will be geared towards implementing the Aswan Forum’s conclusions and outcomes.

This year’s Forum also witnessed an informal policy dialogue with the AU Network of Think Tanks for Peace (NeTT4Peace), which provided an opportunity to introduce the Network and its work to date, and discuss potential collaboration opportunities with a range of stakeholders.  

During the closing ceremony, CCCPA’s Director General Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif, stated, “This 4th edition confirms that the Aswan Forum is not just an event, but rather a platform for collaboration, exchanging experiences, and bridging the gap between policy and practice via advancing integrated solutions and impactful initiatives and tools.” He added that “the discussions were characterized by a positive and constructive spirit, reflecting the collective awareness that political will is needed more than ever to resolve crises, enhance international cooperation, and confront challenges to peace and security in conformity with international law.”

Ambassador Abdel-Latif also expressed his sincere appreciation to all partners for supporting this edition, namely the AU and the UN as global partners; Japan as a strategic partner; the European Union (EU), the IOM, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Afreximbank as supporting partners; the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as an institutional partner; the African Development Bank Group as partner; the UN University Center for Policy Research, Organisation International de la Francophonie (OIF), UN Women as thematic partners; and finally the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as an associate partner.