The ministerial session of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) took place on Tuesday in Addis Ababa. Togo holds the rotating presidency of the PSC in April.

This ministerial session organized on the initiative of Togo had a twin theme: maritime safety and security in Africa: after Lomé and peace, security and the development of the blue economy.

Chaired by Robert Dussey, the Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of Smaїl Chergui , the AU Peace and Security Commissioner and Albert Muchanga, Trade Commissioner, the discussions focused on security threats in maritime areas African countries. In this context, the various points contained in the Charter of Lomé were addressed.

The SPC invited African States to ratify as soon as possible this instrument, which aims to ensure security along the African coasts, which are prey to various trafficking and illegal fishing. But the Lomé Charter also has an economic component which foresees to make the oceans real zones of economic development.

Established in 2004, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) is arguably the most ambitious institutional innovation of the African Union.

In charge of conflict prevention and peacekeeping, the CSP enshrines the principle of ‘non-indifference’, inspired by the ‘duty of interference’, in cases of serious violations of human rights by a state of the continent .