AU Peace Fund: Forging Partnerships for Sustainable Peace Financing in Africa

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

The African Union is reinforcing its efforts to secure sustainable funding for African-led peace initiatives that drive long-term stability and growth.

Recognizing that peace is essential for building resilience and unlocking Africa’s economic potential, a high-level AU delegation led by Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, engaged with leading global financial institutions, development banks, and prominent peacebuilding organizations at the World Bank Group’s annual meetings in Washington.

In the various discussions led by Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, joined by Steve Patrick Lalande, AU Commission Director for Partnerships and Resource Mobilization, and Dagmawit Moges, Director of the AU Peace Fund Secretariat, the African Union underscored urgency to secure sustainable peace financing as a mechanism to address the root causes of conflict and to accelerate Africa’s development for the realization of Agenda 2063.

In a bilateral meeting, both the African Union and the World Bank Group underscored the need to elevate Africa’s peace agenda within global development strategies. Ayanda Dlodlo, Executive Director at the World bank expressed a strong interest in mobilizing resources for the AU’s priorities through the International Development Association (IDA), enabling regional and continent-wide projects that transcend country-specific approaches.

Both institutions agreed on the importance of involving African finance ministers to align financial strategies with Africa’s peace and development goals. To strengthen governance and accountability, Dr. Nsanzabaganwa invited the World Bank to join the AU Peace Fund’s Independent Evaluation Group, where the Bank’s expertise in impact assessment could enhance the Peace Fund’s transparency and effectiveness.

In a meeting with the African Development Bank (AfDB), President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, applauded the AU’s progress on Agenda 2063 and endorsed the Peace Fund’s role in addressing the root causes of conflict. The AU formally invited AfDB to join the Peace Fund’s Independent Evaluation Group to enhance transparency and accountability in peace financing. Together, the AU and AfDB agreed to establish a joint framework for advancing sustainable peace financing initiatives that draw on both public and private sector resources.

In a separate bilateral meeting, Afreximbank President Professor Benedict Oramah expressed continued support for the AU Peace Fund’s enhanced governance structure and committed to nominating a representative to its Independent Evaluation Group. This partnership reinforces Afreximbank’s dedication to promoting a peaceful investment environment across Africa, essential for boosting trade and economic growth.

The African Trade and Investment Development Insurance’s (ATIDI) CEO, Manuel Moses, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the AU’s mission of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. By aligning ATIDI’s risk management expertise with the Peace Fund’s goals, this partnership aims to create secure environments for businesses, fostering economic resilience in regions prone to instability.

The Peace Fund also engaged with Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, where CEO Jeremy Awori discussed innovative partnership models to scale peace financing across the continent. Leveraging Ecobank’s extensive network, the AU Peace Fund plans to raise awareness and mobilize resources for peace initiatives, engaging the private sector, and multilateral financial institutions to play an active role in Africa’s stability.

With Shelter Afrique Development Bank, the AU Peace Fund explored how housing and infrastructure development can act as foundations for peace. Shelter Afrique CEO and Managing Director, Thierno-Habib Hann, emphasized the role of secure housing in stabilizing communities affected by conflict. Together, they plan to focus on resettling displaced populations and rehabilitating infrastructure in conflict-impacted areas, fostering resilience and social cohesion.

During discussions with the AU Peace Fund, ZEP-RE CEO, Hope Murera, emphasized that peace is essential for creating conditions where businesses can flourish. The meeting explored collaborative initiatives aimed at tackling the root causes of conflict and promoting lasting stability through strengthened economic resilience.

In a series of meetings with U.S.-based peacebuilding organizations—including the Alliance for Peacebuilding, One Earth Future, Humanity United, Saferworld, and the Fund for Peace—the AU Peace Fund discussed opportunities to leverage U.S. philanthropic resources for African-led peace efforts. These organizations expressed a strong interest in supporting the Peace Fund through strategic resource mobilization and advocacy efforts. This collaboration aims to attract U.S. public and private funding for African peace initiatives, enhancing the Peace Fund’s impact on conflict prevention across the continent.

As a key platform for mobilizing resources to support conflict prevention and long-term stability efforts across Africa, the AU Peace Fund is committed to strengthening Africa’s capacity to address peace-related challenges, and create a stable environment where peace drives economic growth, resilience, and prosperity for all Africans.