On 11 February 2026, during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, South Africa was elected by Member States to serve a two-year term on the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, starting from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028. These pivotal elections took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. South Africa was elected alongside the Kingdom of Lesotho to represent the Southern region for the two available seats.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola, who is currently leading the South African delegation, formally welcomed the election on behalf of the government. This election reaffirms South Africa’s role in fostering a more resilient continent, Minister Lamola stated:
“To achieve the goals of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, we have to exert more efforts on peacemaking and peacebuilding in our Continent.”
The Republic of South Africa thanks the AU Member States for their confidence and reaffirms its commitment to work constructively with the entire membership of the AUPSC, addressing the many peace and security challenges that bedevil our Continent.
The Continent continues to grapple with issues such as unconstitutional changes of government, a recurring trend since 2020, which persists until today; and terrorism and violent extremism that has resulted in killings and maiming of thousands of innocent civilians.
It is in this context that South Africa’s term on the PSC will be guided by its foreign policy which prioritises the African continent’s peace, stability and development. Furthermore, South Africa is committed to contributing to a continent that is peaceful, prosperous and embodies pan-African ideals. This commitment is evident in the numerous peace and security initiatives in which South Africa has participated and continues to engage, including its role as interim Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
South Africa will advocate for peaceful conflict resolution, inclusive dialogue and negotiations, aimed at supporting conflicting parties in finding durable solutions.
