Model African Union
The Warwick Africa Summit Model African Union is the UK’s first virtual simulation of the African union chambers by student delegates across Africa, the UK, Australia and the US. WASMAU 2021 will enable 20 young African leaders to develop their own positions on topics relevant to the African continent. Delegates across the world will be connected in pursuit of the very building blocks of African development through very clear and simple rules of engagement.
WASMAU 2021 will simulate the peace and security council (PSC), an organ of the African Union (AU) with the crucial mandate to ensure the promotion of peace, stability and security across the continent. At WASMAU 2021, the PSC will consider the role resource depletion and climate change have played in the rise of extremism across the continent as well as how effective communication and pre-emptive action can help counter this trend on the continent today.
2021 Topic:
Silencing the guns; the nexus between peace and development.
In 2002, the AU ratified its Plan of Action 'for the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism' to bolster the continent's war against extremism. Despite these developments, in the last decade extremism has risen across the continent, exacerbated by climate change with a 43% river shrinkage in the Sahel region .
At WASMAU 2021, the PSC will consider the specific role of sustainable development in securing peace for the continent as well as how effective communication and pre-emptive action can help counter the rise of extremism across the continent.
WASMAU 2021 will simulate the peace and security council (PSC), an organ of the African Union (AU) with the crucial mandate to ensure the promotion of peace, stability and security across the continent. At WASMAU 2021, the PSC will consider the role resource depletion and climate change have played in the rise of extremism across the continent as well as how effective communication and pre-emptive action can help counter this trend on the continent today.
Bience Gawana has a career in law, human rights, gender equality, social justice and social development which spans more than 40 years.
She has been defined by multiple leadership roles that have earned her both national and international recognition for effectiveness, service delivery, creativity and an ability to build bridges connecting a wide range of actors such as the AU Commission, African Regional Economic Communities, UN agencies, as well as international and continental institutions, and civil society organisations.
Her various positions/roles include Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa to the United Nations Secretary-General as well as African Union (AU) Commissioner for Social Affairs.
Prior to her work in international development, she was ombudswoman of Namibia (1996-2003)
