African Union Peace Council convenes in Addis Ababa to address education in conflict zones

The African Union’s Peace and Security Council opened its August session in Addis Ababa with a plenary on education in armed‑conflict settings. The meeting was chaired by Algeria’s Permanent Representative to the AU, Ambassador Mohamed Khaled, and gathered AU commissioners, member‑state representatives and development partners. The Sahrawi Republic was represented by Ambassador Lamine Baali, who stressed that education is a fundamental right and a pillar of peace, calling for financing of schools in refugee camps, safe learning environments, teacher training and psychosocial support. The council announced a new funding package of US$8.8 million for 19 member states to sustain education in conflict‑affected areas, and highlighted the need to protect schools from attacks and integrate refugee children into national education plans.