CCCPA hosted a virtual session titled "Leveraging African Perspectives for Sustainable Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding" on September 11, 2024, as part of PeaceCon 2024. Organized by the Alliance for Peacebuilding in partnership with the U.S. Institute of Peace, PeaceCon 2024 convened global experts and practitioners to address rising violent conflict and prioritize peacebuilding in an increasingly fragile world.

Moderated by Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif, Director General of CCCPA and Executive Director of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, the session featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Hodan Hassan, Chief Policy Advisor to the President of Somalia, Mr. Dragan Popovic, Portfolio Manager at UNDP Somalia, Ms. Libakiso Matlho, Executive Secretary of the AU's Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Centre, and Mr. Frederik Teufel, Lead Coordinator, Transition States Coordination Office (AfDB).

The session underscored the critical importance of addressing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) across Africa, with a particular focus on Somalia. In this regard the panelists discussed the challenges and opportunities in Somalia’s journey from fragility towards stabilization, emphasizing the need for long-term peace and development.

Ambassador Abdel-Latif opened the session by stressing the critical role of African perspectives in global peacebuilding, while underscoring Somalia’s development plans and the relevance of the African Union’s revised PCRD Policy.

Hodan Hassan emphasized the importance of national leadership in Somalia's peacebuilding efforts. She stressed the need for strong local governance, rule of law, and economic opportunities for youth to transition from conflict to stability and prevent setbacks. She also highlighted the importance of investing in government capacity and economic growth to achieve lasting peace.  

Ms. Libakiso Matlho highlighted how the AU-PCRD Policy can contribute to achieving Somalia's sustainable peace and development, by addressing, governance, and socio-economic challenges, providing technical assistance, training, and strengthening local capacities.

Mr. Dragan Popovic praised Somalia's political transition and institution-building efforts. He also highlighted the role of the UN and international partners in strengthening governance through constitutional development, parliamentary assistance, electoral engagement, and political facilitation, while enhancing officials' capacity to manage jurisdictional issues and conflicts.

Frederik Teufel, from the African Development Bank (AFDB), emphasized the need for effective partnerships to tackle Somalia's challenges, highlighting the importance of breaking down silos between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actors, institution-building, technological innovation, and strategic partnerships.

Dr. Adnan Abdo Mohamed, East Africa Regional Coordinator of Payncop and Co-Founder of Hage Youth Organization, highlighted the challenges faced by Somali youth, including lack of opportunities, and vulnerability to extremism.

The session provided participants with actionable insights for designing effective strategies tailored to specific FCV contexts, particularly in Somalia. In addition, the session concluded with a call to recognize and harness African perspectives in global efforts to build sustainable peace, strengthening local capacities and inclusive governance.