At the annual African Union (AU) summit in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged for the formation of a joint military force to combat terrorism and other growing threats on the continent. In addition to calling for a pan-African fighting force, Sisi offered to host a summit on the subject in Cairo: “I affirm Egypt is ready to host this special African summit stemming from its responsibility and believing in the importance of this proposed [force] to achieve peace and security in Africa,” the general turned president said. This reflects the increasing concerns across the continent over growing violence along the Sahel, the region just south of the Sahara. As one of Africa’s military giants, a joint military venture would likely also augment Egypt’s influence on the continent. Nonetheless, the hypothetical pan-African force would not be controlled by Egypt but rather by the Peace and Security Council, which is the executive wing of the African Union.

Source: Ethiopian News February 14, 2020 15:00 UTC