An African Union official said the African Standby Force needs to evolve as the continent’s security landscape changes.
In a September 2024 webinar, Dr. Alhadji Sarjoh Bah, director, Conflict Management-AU-Peace and Security Department, said the force has made significant strides in its 20-year existence. He said it has contributed to peace support operations across the continent, “often under challenging circumstances, with notable examples of deployment in crises such as Somalia, Sudan and the Central African Republic, among others.” These missions, he said, demonstrated the AU’s capacity to act “decisively in defence of peace, security and democratic principles.”
Bah said the security force “must continue to evolve” in the light of a constantly changing continental security landscape. He named three specific concerns — the rise of nonstate actors, the increasing effects of climate change on conflict and the need for more comprehensive approaches to address the root causes of instability.
He said threats such as asymmetric warfare, terrorism, pandemics and climate-induced disasters demand that the force adapt and innovate to remain relevant and effective. He said the force would need to enhance its ability to address unconventional threats, cyber threats and pandemics while remaining responsive to traditional conflicts.