Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1371st meeting held on 5 October 2026 on: "Consideration and adoption of the Report of the 10th Africa Amnesty Month Commemorative Event held in Algiers, Algeria from 14 to 15 September 2026”:

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.645(XXIX)]  adopted by the 29th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held in Addis Ababa, from 3 to 4 July 2017, through which the Assembly declared the month of September of each year, until 2020, as “Africa Amnesty Month” for the surrender and collection of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW), and Decision [Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.1(XIV)] adopted by the 14th Extraordinary Session held on 6 December 2020,  through which the Assembly decided to extend the annual commemoration of the AAM for a period of ten (10) years, from 2021 to 2030;

Also recalling all its previous decisions and pronouncements on the African Amnesty, particularly Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.2.1241 (2024)] adopted at its 1241st meeting held on 30 October 2024; and Communiqué [PSC/ PR/COMM.1105 (2022)] adopted by the PSC at its 1105th meeting held on 15 September 2022, on the commemoration of the 2022 AAM  that had been held from 4 to 7 September 2022, in Lomé, Togo, in which the PSC acknowledged that commemorating the AAM in the Member States creates more awareness to the people on the implementation of the AAM; and decided to continue commemorating the AAM events in the Member States, with the participation of women, youth, media, academia as well as Faith-Based Organizations and other relevant groups;

Determined to ensure the full implementation of the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by 2030 in order not to bequeath a conflict-ridden continent to future generations and, importantly, to realize the aspirations enshrined in Agenda 2063;

Taking note of the welcoming remarks by H.E. Sofiane Chaib, Secretary of State for National Community Abroad of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria; the statement by H.E. Ambassador Hervé Djokpe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Benin to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for September 2026; the statement by H.E. Ambassador Liberata Mulamula on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; the statement by H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Betindji, Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA); the statement by H.E. Ms  Savina Ammassari, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Algeria, as well as  the statement by Mr. Rabah Cherifi, the Representative of the Executive Secretary of the North African Regional Capacity (NARC); and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

1. Commends the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for generously hosting the 2026 episode of the Africa Amnesty Month commemorative event that was organized from 14 to 15 September 2026, in Algiers, Algeria, under the theme “Advancing the Silencing the Guns Initiative and Strengthening Sustainable Peace across the borders through shared experience on SALW Control and Demining Action” and adopts the Report of the commemorative event;

2. Welcomes the significant progress being made by Member States, with the support of the AU Commission, RECs/RMs and partners towards the implementation of the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by 2030; welcomes in particular the efforts of the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, including in demining activities; and congratulates Algeria on having completely cleared its territory of anti-personnel mines and encourages Algeria to share its experience and expertise with other African countries, whether on a bilateral basis or through the AU;

3. Underscores the interconnected nature of illicit SALW, terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, cross-border threats and other peace and security challenges and, in this context, expresses deep concern over  the illicit proliferation and misuse of SALW, which is contributing towards undermining peace, security and socio-economic development, including by fuelling conflicts, population displacement, weakening State authority, disrupting education and livelihoods and exacerbating poverty and inequalities; and in this respect calls for concerted efforts to combat the scourge of illicit proliferation of SALW;

4. Commends the AU Commission, United Nations, RECSA and other partners for the continued provision of technical and financial support to Member States in the implementation of the AAM; and calls for enhanced support to strengthen national and regional capacities for SALW control, demining action and DDR;

5. Acknowledges the progress achieved through AU–UN cooperation in implementing AAM, including support provided to 19 African States between 2020 and 2026 through public awareness campaigns and capacity-building in stockpile management and community policing, which contributed to the collection and destruction of more than 22,000 small arms and 500,000 rounds of ammunition;

6. Encourages Member States to continue to promote the surrender of illicit SALW as provided for under the Africa Amnesty Month and to submit, to the AU Commission, detailed reports on the implementation of the AAM;

7. Also encourages Member States that have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying and domesticating all relevant international instruments aimed at combating the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW), particularly the Arms Trade Treaty;

8. Underscores the role of Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and partners in ensuring the institutionalization and regularization of the commemoration of the AAM as an annual programme in their respective countries and regions as part of the implementation of the AU Master Roadmap to Silence the Guns in Africa by 2030, including through sustained national awareness-raising campaigns on the dangers and consequences of illicit SALW, landmines and Explosive Remnants of War;

9. Encourages all people currently in illegal possession of weapons to take full advantage of the Africa Amnesty Month to voluntarily surrender them to the designated government entities without fear of prosecution, as provided for under the initiative and stresses that voluntary surrender programmes should be accompanied and complemented by the safe destruction of the collected weapons, effective stockpile management, marking and tracing, and sustainable socio-economic reintegration programmes; 

10. Also encourages Member States to develop annual plans on the commemoration of the AAM, including where appropriate, demining and DDR programmes, and to translate continental commitments and decisions into concrete actions at national and regional levels;

11. Underscores the critical role of civil society organisations, women, youth, traditional and community leaders, faith-based organisations, the private sector and the media in awareness-raising, promoting reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, supporting community-based re-integration; and fostering local ownership of voluntary disarmament initiatives;

12. Also encourages Member States to further strengthen and to harmonise national regulatory and normative frameworks on arms and ammunition control in line with the regional and international standards and good practices, in order to prevent the diversion, illicit circulation and access to weapons, ammunition, sensitive equipment and explosives by terrorist and criminal groups;

13. Underscores the need for Member States to enhance cooperation and collaboration, including through sharing of information and intelligence; experience, lessons and best practices; strengthening law-enforcement cooperation, border management and joint border monitoring; joint operations to combat the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) and, in the same context,  underscores the importance of knowledge and technology transfer, and cooperation among Member States in strengthening national and continental capacities;

14. Reiterates the need for the AU Commission to continue to work closely with Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the United Nations and other critical partners in supporting Member States, upon request, in the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs, SALW control, demining action and other initiatives in contributing towards the implementation of AAM and the Silencing the Guns initiative;

15. Emphasises the importance of further strengthening national and local capacities for the effective management of weapons and ammunition, including physical security and stockpile management, in order to reduce the risks of proliferation, diversion and illicit trafficking, particularly in conflict and post-conflict settings;

16. Stresses the need for Member States to adapt arms-control and disarmament efforts to emerging technologies, including through knowledge and technology transfer, and to strengthen regional coordination through regional action plans, harmonised national legislation and platforms for experience-sharing and cross-border cooperation;

17. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

COMMENTS