The Peace and Security Council Report analyses developments and decisions at the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC). The first article titled “Defining AU–REC relations is still a work in progress” discusses The African Union (AU) and the regional economic communities (RECs) first coordination meeting on 8 July in Niamey, Niger. The following article: ‘The Niamey summit sees the slow implementation of AU reform” highlights the implementation of the AU reforms, championed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the reform implementation unit of the AU Commission (AUC). At its meeting in Niamey, Niger in July 2019, ministers of the AU Executive Council decided that the AU theme of the year for 2020 would be ‘Silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development’ and “Silencing the guns beyond 2020”is the title of this article. “Can the peace-trade equation stabilise the Horn?” discusses the largest free trade zone in the world for 1.2 billion people with a gross domestic product of around US$3.4 trillion launched by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 7 July at the AU summit in Niamey, Niger. “The democratisation process in The Gambia remains fragile”is looking at the progress made since the ousting of former president Yahya Jammeh in January 2017. “Where to from here in Algeria?” highlights the peaceful Algerian demonstration, for democracy and civic rights. In the “PSC Interview: ‘I’m not here to tick a box’,” Aya Chebbi is asked how she intends to use her two-year term to empower youth to silence the guns in Africa.
