Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace, security and stability across Africa as it hosted members of the Military Staff Committee (MSC) of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) for an induction and orientation programme l.
Declaring the programme open on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, the Director of Search and Rescue at Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, said Africa’s increasingly complex and transnational security challenges require stronger continental cooperation, strategic coordination and effective security mechanisms.
Representing the CDS at the event in Abuja, Air Vice Marshal Sani noted that the African Union Peace and Security Council remains the continent’s foremost platform for promoting peace, security and stability, stressing that the Military Staff Committee plays a critical role as the Council’s principal military advisory body.
He said; “The quality of advice provided by the Committee directly influences the effectiveness of the Council’s decisions and interventions across Africa.”
Air Vice Marshal Sani explained that the induction programme was designed to strengthen institutional knowledge, enhance collaboration among member states and improve the Committee’s capacity to provide timely and professional military advice in support of the African Union’s peace and security objectives.
He reiterated Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the ideals of the African Union, pledging continued support for peace support operations and regional security initiatives aimed at building a peaceful, secure and prosperous Africa.
In his remarks, Brigadier General Abubakarr Conte, Defence Attaché of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the Military Staff Committee for June 2026, described the programme as timely, given the continent’s evolving security landscape.
According to him, terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity, cyber threats, humanitarian crises and climate-related security challenges continue to test the resilience of African institutions.
He said “the induction would provide both new and experienced members with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Committee’s mandate, exchange best practices and strengthen institutional memory.”
Also speaking, the Head of the African Union Peace and Security Council Secretariat, Ms Neema Chusi, underscored the strategic importance of the Military Staff Committee.
Chusi noted that “it is the only subcommittee specifically established under the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council.”
She said the Committee was created to ensure that military expertise adequately informs the Council’s decisions, particularly in conflict prevention, peace support operations and regional security initiatives.
She welcomed Somalia’s participation in the Peace and Security Council for the first time since its establishment, describing it as a significant milestone that would enrich the Council’s deliberations.
Chusi urged members of the Committee to remain objective, professional and candid in discharging their responsibilities, reminding them that millions of Africans depend on the quality of decisions taken by the Peace and Security Council.
“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that history records this generation of the Military Staff Committee as one that provided sound professional advice, enabling the Peace and Security Council to make wise and impactful decisions.
“Africa is counting on you,” Chusi said.
The two-day induction and orientation programme was organised by the Defence Headquarters Directorate of Peacekeeping Operations in collaboration with the African Union Peace and Security Council Secretariat.
It brought together military advisers, defence representatives, officials of the African Union Commission, the United Nations and other strategic partners.
The programme is expected to strengthen the institutional effectiveness of the Military Staff Committee and enhance its capacity to support peace and security efforts across the African continent.
