The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday hosted the Induction and Orientation Programme for members of the Military Staff Committee (MSC) of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) in Abuja, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace, security and stability across the African continent.
According to an official signed statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the programme brought together delegates from member states of the AU Peace and Security Council for a strategic capacity-building retreat aimed at strengthening the continent’s collective security architecture.
Declaring the programme open, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, welcomed participants to Abuja and expressed appreciation to the African Union Commission for selecting Nigeria to host the induction.
The CDS reiterated the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to advancing Africa’s collective security framework through enhanced military cooperation and professional engagement.
He observed that Africa continues to confront increasingly complex security threats, including terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, maritime insecurity, cyber threats and humanitarian crises, stressing that such challenges require coordinated continental responses.
General Oluyede noted that the Military Staff Committee, as the principal military advisory body to the AU Peace and Security Council, plays a critical role in providing professional military advice and strategic assessments that support informed decisions on conflict prevention, crisis response and peace support operations across the continent.
Earlier, the Head of the Peace and Security Council Secretariat of the African Union Commission, Ms Neama Chusi, described the Military Staff Committee as the only subsidiary organ established under the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council. She said the Committee remains indispensable in providing military perspectives that complement diplomatic efforts in conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution throughout Africa.
Ms Chusi encouraged participants to actively engage during the programme by sharing experiences and contributing ideas that would further strengthen the effectiveness of the Committee.
In his remarks, the Chairperson of the Military Staff Committee, Brigadier General Abubakar Conteh, highlighted the Committee’s increasing relevance in addressing Africa’s evolving security landscape. He noted that terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government, organised crime, climate-related security risks and cyber threats demand sound military advice and stronger collaboration among member states.
He described the induction programme as a vital platform for enhancing institutional knowledge, promoting cooperation and strengthening the Committee’s capacity to provide timely, objective and strategic military advice to the Peace and Security Council.
The two-day programme features presentations, discussions, practical exercises and experience-sharing sessions designed to familiarise newly appointed and returning members with the Committee’s mandate, working methods and operational procedures while fostering closer collaboration among African Union member states.
