Addis Ababa Consultation Advances Youth and Women’s Role in Peace and Security Ahead of Bujumbura Dialogue
Addis Ababa, 14-16 July 2026
From 14–16 July 2026, the Technical-Level Consultation Ahead of the 5th Continental Dialogue on Youth, Peace and Security and Women, Peace and Security took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in a hybrid format.
Organized as a preparatory step towards the Continental Dialogue in Bujumbura, the consultation brought together representatives of Member States, youth and women’s networks, civil society organizations, policy experts, African Union structures and international partners.
Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Willy Nyamitwe, Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of Burundi to the African Union, and H.E. Javier Niño Pérez, EU Ambassador to the African Union. Their messages emphasized dialogue, cooperation and respect as essential foundations for inclusive peacebuilding.
Day 1 examined Africa’s evolving peace and security landscape, gaps in the African Youth Charter, National Youth Policies and YPS/WPS National Action Plans, and the institutional pathways available to youth and women within the AU Peace and Security Architecture.
Coinciding with World Youth Skills Day, Day 2 focused on the skills, tools and evidence needed to translate participation into measurable impact. Participants explored the Common Impact Framework, lived experience, accountability, intergenerational trust and stronger feedback mechanisms between communities and institutions.
Day 3 consolidated these discussions into policy recommendations, an Impact Matrix and an Outcome Document. Participants refined proposals for African Youth Charter reform, strengthened national accountability guidelines and validated priorities for the next stage.
As one conclusion captured: “Peace moves at the speed of trust.”
The Outcome of the Consultation was officially handed over to H.E. Willy Nyamitwe. It will now contribute to the 5th Continental Dialogue on YPS and WPS, taking place in Bujumbura, Burundi, from 10–12 August 2026—carrying forward the evidence, perspectives and recommendations developed in Addis Ababa.
