We, the participants of the Second Edition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum, held from 11 to 12 October 2025 in Lomé, Republic of Togo, on the theme: “Africa Facing Complex Security Challenges: How to Strengthen and Sustain Peace and Stability in a Changing World?”

Considering the profound transformations currently taking place in the world and the resulting tensions that are negatively affecting peace and security in Africa;

Deeply concerned by the emergence of new forms of conflict and security threats in Africa, including violent extremism and terrorism, cyber threats, as well as insecurity and tensions induced by climate change, which hinder the continent’s stability and development;

Guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and other relevant regional and subregional instruments and mechanisms;

Recalling the 1999 Aigiers Convention of the OAU on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, and its 2004 Protocol adopted in Addis Ababa at the Third Ordinary Session of the Conférence of Heads of State and Government of the African Union;

Taking into account the decisions and orientations of the African Union regarding security sector reform, including the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council and the Solemn Declaration on a Common African Defence and Security Policy (CADSP);

Aware of the strategic importance of maritime security, the decisive character of the Lomé Charter on Maritime Security, and the relevance of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZOPACAS) for the security, defence of sovereign maritime rights, and legitimate interests of Africa;

Emphasising the multidimensional nature of peace and security, which go beyond the mere absence of armed conflict to encompass maritime security, climate security, socio-economic development, social justice, the promotion of human rights, and good governance;

Recognising the need for African States to work towards genuine autonomy in defence and security matters, with a view to reducing dependence on foreign military technologies and equipment and addressing structural weaknesses that increase vulnerabilities to external shocks;

Considering that the current functioning of the United Nations Security Council and the mandates under which peacekeeping missions operate do not allow for effective and adequate responses to the complexity of conflicts and security threats in Africa;

Noting recent developments in the digital sector and the potential of Artificial Intelligence (Al) to profoundly transform African economies, enhance the operational efficiency of institutions, and open up new prospects for growth, while also posing unprecedented risks to peace and security;

Bearing in mind the ethical, security and societal challenges associated with the development of new technologies and Al, as well as their potential as tools for prevention and peacebuilding;

Observing with concern the persistence of conflicts on the continent, particularly in the Great Lakes region, the Sahel and other areas, despite multiple regional and international peace initiatives;

Recalling the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns in Africa” initiative, launched by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2013, aimed at ending armed conflicts on the continent and establishing lasting peace;

Considering United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018) on Youth, Peace and Security, recognising the role of young people in peacebuilding and conflict prevention;

Recalling the African Youth Charter, which recognises youth as “a key partner and an indispensable asset for sustainable development, peace and prosperity in Africa”;

Aware that the persistent challenges faced by young people – including unemployment, lack of access to quality éducation and training, and exclusion from decision-making processes foster their instrumentalisation, including by violent extremist groups;

Taking into account the conclusions of the ministerial conferences of the African Political Alliance (APA) held respectively on 3 May 2023 and 2 June 2025, as well as the Final Declaration of the First Edition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum held from 20 to 22 October 2023 in Lome;

Welcoming the relevance of the theme and the quality of the deliberations of the 2025 Edition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum, which enabled a better understanding of the complexity of the security challenges facing Africa in a deeply fragile and rapidly changing international environment;

We hereby declare as follows:

The consolidation of peace in Africa, in a context marked by highly complex security challenges, requires a comprehensive understanding of these challenges and concerted action based on an integrated approach.

Such action must include, among other things, the implementation of essential operational measures, the building of strategic autonomy for the continent in the face of international geopolitical rivalries, the establishment of lasting peace ensuring stability and shared prosperity across the continent – notably in the Great Lakes region – the consideration of the challenges posed by Al to peace, security and development, and the strengthening of youth involvement and perspectives in peace building and consolidation in Africa.

To this end,

I. ON STRENGTHENING PEACE AND STABILITY

1. We call upon African States to fully recognise the evolving nature of security threats and to provide appropriate responses that take into account their complexity, transversal nature, and the current international context marked by heightened tensions.
2. We strongly encourage States to adopt a holistic approach to security by integrating, within traditional conflict management and prevention strategies, dimensions related to governance, development, social inclusion, gender, and climate change.
3. We urge States to take concrete measures aimed at promoting mutual trust, intelligence sharing, intra-African solidarity, and the pooling of resources for conflict prevention and management.
4. We invite African States to revisit and fully implement the African Peace and Security Architecture by taking into account technological advances, integrating Al into existing defense mechanisms.
5. We call on African States to enhance traditional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution, in order to take advantage of their potential for the promotion of peace and security in Africa.
6. We request the United Nations to adapt the mandates and conduct of its peacekeeping operations in Africa to the evolving nature of threats to international peace and security.
7. We urge African States to immediately take the necessary domestic ratification measures with a view to accelerating the entry into force and operationalisation of the Lomé Charter on Maritime Security.
8. We strongly exhort African States and régional and sub-regional institutions to work towards the entrenchment of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, transparency, accountabüity, and the respect for human rights.
9. We call upon States to intensify investment in social resilience through the financing of projects in the social and solidarity economy, agroecology, handicrafts, and the digital economy, which meet community needs, strengthen resilience to climate shocks, and offer alternatives to violence and illicit economies.
10. We invite States and regional economic communities to give priority to dialogue in crisis management and cross-border synergy, in particular the States of West Africa and the AES to move towards the creation of a framework for consultation between ECOWAS and the AES.
11. We request Togo to work towards the establishment of a framework for dialogue between ECOWAS and the AES.
12. We urge the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities and States to set up a specific endogenous programme to eradicate poverty and strengthen inclusion.

II. ON STRATEGIC AUTONOMY IN THE EVOLVING AFRICAN GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE

13. We invite African countries to strengthen their independence in mobilising resources and financing defence and security by prioritising endogenous sources.
14. We urge African States to consider, in light of global developments, a review of defence agreements in order to fully assert their sovereignty.
15. We strongly encourage the development of autonomous defence capacities, supported by the creation of an African arms industry, the use of endogenous technologies, the establishment of more appropriate military training, and the emergence of a genuine African defence market.
16. We exhort African States to ensure autonomous and sustainable financing for regional and continental institutions as well as peace and security initiatives on the continent.
17. We invite the African Union to strengthen its role in the strategic coordination of defence and peace initiatives undertaken on the continent, including those carried out by the United Nations and external partners.
18. We urge the African Union to redefine the frameworks of cooperation between the continent and other regions of the world, adapting the choice of partners to geostrategic developments and to Africa’s fundamental interests.
19. We encourage the African Union and its Member States to accelerate engagement with emerging powers, including the BRICS, in order to promote a multipolar world based on justice, equity, and peace.
20. We call upon African States to more vigorously defend the continent’s common positions within international bodies and fora.

III. ON PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION

21. We call upon African States to fully recognise that peace and stability in the Great Lakes region constitute a necessary condition for the establishment and consolidation of lasting peace in Africa.
22. We encourage the States of the Great Lakes region to take bold measures aimed at creating the conditions for sustainable peace and shared prosperity through strengthened regional economic cooperation.
23. We invite the States of the Great Lakes region to prioritise dialogue and consultation in the settlement of their disputes, and to promote inclusive governance, the protection of human rights, and peaceful coexistence.
24. We urge African States to strengthen their support for African Union initiatives aimed at resolving conflicts in the Great Lakes region.
25. We commend Togo for its sustained efforts towards the restoration of peace in the eastern part of the Democratie Republie of the Congo, in accordance wïth the mandate of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
26. We strongly urge United Nations agencies, States, and partners to intensify their humanitarian support for refugees and displaced persons, and to take all necessary measures to protect women and children, who are the most vulnerable in crisis situations.

IV. ON THE CHALLENGES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN RELATION TO PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA

27. We call upon African States to recognise the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (Al), to adopt appropriate measures to harness its opportunities, and to prepare to manage its ambivalent effects.
28. We urge African States and the African Union Commission to include the issue of the digital revolution in their political agendas and to mobilise resources to support research and innovation in the field of Al.
29. We urge the African Union and Member States to take urgent action on Al and related technologies, including establishing a fund for the development and mastery of Al and promoting massive, multi-sectoral youth training to make Al an instrument for Africa’s strategic autonomy and positive transformation.
30. We urge African States to take strong and concerted measures to protect their data and to pool their resources to develop autonomous Al capabilities.
31. We strongly invite States to increase investment in digital infrastructure, to take robust and concerted measures to protect their data, and to pool their resources to develop autonomous capacities in the field of Al.
32. We call for the elaboration of common African policies on data protection, data use, and Al ethics.
33. We exhort States to make the best use of the untapped potential of digital technologies as levers for empowerment, job creation, and the promotion of a culture of peace.
34. We further urge States to implement monitoring and content-filtering mechanisms to prevent the use of online platforms as channels for radicalisation and the recruitment of young people into violent extremist groups.
35. We call for support to be given to artists and content creators who promote narratives that counter violence, and who, through their commitment, contribute to the promotion of cultural diversity and the deconstruction of hate speech in cyberspace.

V. ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF YOUTH TO LASTING PEACE IN AFRICA

36. We call for the operationalisation of existing frameworks, such as the African Youth Charter, and for the acceleration of the implementation of the African Union Youth, Peace and Security Programme.
37. We urge States and international organisations to promote mechanïsms aimed at increasing the effective participation of young people in processes of conflict prevention, resolution, and peacebuilding.
38. We exhort States to develop and implement policies that strengthen the resilience of young people against violent extremïsm.
39. We invite States to establish, at the local level, “Peace and Security Committees” integrating youth, women, traditional leaders, and security forces for a collaborative management of peace and security challenges.
40. We encourage African youth to engage more actively in promoting peace and security on the continent, through national and transnational initiatives of cooperation and solidarity.
41. We support the call of young people for the establishment of an “African Youth Fund” and call on the African Union to take the necessary steps to make this fund effective as soon as possible.
42. We support the call of young people to African States and the African Union for a stronger and more active mobilization around the crucial issue of reparation for the historical crimes committed against the peoples of Africa, which remains the indispensable path for the consolidation of peaceful and lasting relations between Africa and its partners, especially those who were involved in slavery, deportation and colonization.
43. We comment Togo for its initiative with the decision-making bodies of the African Union which led to the adoption by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, on February 16, 2025, in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, of the historic Decision on the “Qualification of siavery, deportation and colonization as crimes against humanity and genocide against the peoples of Africa”.
44. We support the call of young people to correct the map of the world so that it best reflects the real dimensions of Africa and contribute to the current effort to restore the continent to a fair place and equitable representativeness in global governance.

VI. FINAL PROVISIONS

45. We express our gratitude to the President of the Council, H.E. Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, and the Government of Togo for their leadership, unwavering commitment to peace and security in Africa, and for the successful organisation of the proceedings of the second édition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum.
46. We call upon Togo to work towards the full implementation of the recommendations contained in this Declaration.

Done in Lomé, 12 October 2025.