Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former special representative of the secretary-general and head of the United Nations Mission in Darfur, has been appointed to the Advisory Council of the International Security Conference on Africa (ISCA) as part of the Continent’s efforts to assert itself within the Committee of Nations.
His appointment was announced during the International Security Conference on Africa, which was officially launched in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, during a two-day forum on May 19th and 20th, 2025.
Professor Gambari believes that the official launch of the ISCA provides Africa with the platform to look inwards on what it can leverage to, amongst other things, demand at least two permanent seats with veto powers at the UN Security Council. The continent is equally demanding of five permanent seats.
Africa has often suffered the consequences of threats, and it was not given a chance to decide on them in a world of multilateralism.
Professor Gambari, the chairman and founder of Savannah Center for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), in collaboration with the Washington DC-based Stimson Centre and other Non-governmental Organisations, chaired a three-day African Regional conference in Abuja in 2024 on the issue of African perspectives on the reforms of the UN and the Multilateral System.
SCDDD is an NGO focused on research, advocacy, and training in peace and security, good governance, and sustainable development in Africa and the world at large.
He has recommended reforming the African Union Peace and Security Council as one way to achieve sustainable peace on the African continent.
He strongly believes that making all UN peace operations in Africa hybrid missions jointly mandated and conducted by the world body and the AU will elevate peace processes in the region equally.
Professor Gambari maintains that Africa must, among other things, take its institutions seriously by reimagining its security architecture.
Professor Gambari who also paid a courtesy visit on President Paul Kagema of Rwanda at the State House in Kigali holds the view that Africa must gear up to critically look at the original reasons the continent resolved to build its peace and security architecture and follow through and urged leaders to show commitment and work towards a more peaceful, developed and secured continent.
The former chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari believes that Africa must understand its problems and be able to find home-grown solutions to tackle its challenges, adding that while partnerships are good, the African continent needs to look inwards for lasting solutions.
The two-day forum in Kigali will unite continental and global defence, intelligence, and security actors to tackle pressing security challenges that will shape a collaborative future.
ISCA hosts round table discussions that facilitate in-depth dialogue among experts, policymakers, civil society members and academics. These sessions encourage open and constructive debate on critical security issues, policy formulation and regional cooperation.
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