By 
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) participated in a regional meeting organised by the African Union Commission’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (AUC-PAPS) from 5–7 November 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa. The meeting, convened through the AUC-PAPS Southern Africa Regional Desk, aimed to establish and integrate a Civil Society Network for Peace, Security, and Development in the Southern African region into the Pan-African Civil Society Network on Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PANPAPS).
The three-day meeting brought together representatives from Southern African Member States—Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—alongside experts from Regional Economic Communities and Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and leading civil society organisations, including Southern African Development Community/ Regional Early Warning Centre (SADC/REWC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa(COMESA), Economic Community of Central African States/ Comité de Paix et de la Sécurité en Afrique Centrale (ECCAS/COPAC), African Union/ Economic, Social and Cultural Council(AU-ECOSOCC), East and Horn of Africa Civil Society Network on Political Affairs, Peace and Security (ECONET), West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), Council of NGOs, Southern Africa Partnership for the Prevention of Conflict (SAPPC ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit/ African Union Office (GIZ AfricanUnion).
The workshop sought to facilitate the integration of regional CSO networks into PANPAPS, strengthen collaboration for peace, security and development, enhance knowledge sharing and capacity building, and develop actionable strategies and joint frameworks that promote regional ownership and synergy in peacebuilding across Africa.
During the deliberations, WANEP contributed to discussions on the successes and challenges of regional CSO cooperation, the design of governance structures for integrated CSO networks under PANPAPS, and the development of joint strategic action plans and resource mobilisation strategies. The Network also shared insights on effective models of network governance and coordination, drawing from its extensive experience in West Africa.
WANEP’s participation reinforces its pan-African engagement and commitment to fostering cross-regional peer learning and institutional collaboration among civil society actors. The meeting further provides opportunities for strategic partnerships, joint programming, and resource mobilisation in line with WANEP’s mission to promote sustainable peace across Africa. By bringing lessons from over two decades of operational experience in early warning, conflict prevention, and regional cooperation, WANEP continues to contribute meaningfully to efforts toward a coordinated and people-centred peace architecture on the continent.
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