26 September 2014: The African Union Commission (AUC), with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Saferworld, held an event on incorporating peace and security into the post-2015 development agenda. Titled ‘Africa and a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda: Tools for Measuring Peace, Governance and Rule of Law,’ the event took place on 26 September 2014, at the AU Mission to the UN in New York, US.

Anthony Maruping, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs, stressed the need to include peace, security and rule of law in the post-2015 development agenda. The current proposal on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) includes these issues under Goal 16, and Maruping called for Member States to champion this Goal as intergovernmental negotiations on the agenda begin.

AU Member States discussed the Common African Position (CAP) on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which includes the issues of peace, security and rule of law as an important pillar of development. Several speakers highlighted the importance of these enablers for sustainable development, and called for capacity-building in Africa to allow for better data to be collected in each area.

Participants noted successes of regional efforts, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Continental Early Warning System. Data capacity and measurement, especially to encourage greater governance accountability and transparency, also were identified as important in scaling up regional partnerships.

The event was attended by UN Member States, representatives of the UN system, AUC leaders, civil society, academic experts, and regional organizations. [IISD RS Sources]