Apsaco: A Decade of Transformative Dialogue on African Security
Ten months after its inception, the Africa Peace and Security Annual Conference (Apsaco) has established itself as a leading platform for discussing peace, security, and geopolitical changes across the continent. The remarkable efforts of the Moroccan think tank, the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), which is affiliated with the OCP Group, are noteworthy as they host the 10th edition of Apsaco in Rabat while simultaneously unveiling their annual report focused on African geopolitics for 2026. This dual initiative not only emphasizes the academic dimension of the event but also reflects a broader ambition to position Morocco as a central hub for intellectual and strategic discourse capable of informing debates on the future trajectory of the continent.
Over the past decade, Apsaco has gradually emerged as one of the most influential gatherings for African diplomatic, academic, and security communities. This anniversary edition brings together representatives from around twenty African nations along with researchers, military experts, diplomats, and decision-makers from Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East. The theme, “A Decade in Review: The Evolution of the Security Landscape in Africa,” comes at a particularly sensitive time for the continent.
As reported by fr.allafrica.com.
Challenges and Opportunities in African Security
Ten years after the inaugural Apsaco editions, the African security environment has undergone profound transformations. The Sahel region continues to be plagued by jihadist threats and geopolitical reconfigurations stemming from military transitions. In the East, ongoing tensions in the Horn of Africa and the conflict in Sudan are producing destabilizing effects across the region. Meanwhile, the Great Lakes region is characterized by armed conflicts and geostrategic rivalries that perpetuate chronic instability.
Central Africa is grappling with a convergence of increasingly complex security, humanitarian, and economic challenges. Alongside these traditional threats, new vulnerabilities are now emerging: cybercrime, misinformation, climate change, food insecurity, forced migrations, and growing competition from external powers. Experts attending the conference in Rabat emphasize that “African security can no longer be analyzed solely from a military perspective; it must be understood in its comprehensive dimensions—economic, social, technological, and environmental.”
One of the key lessons learned over the last decade is the increasing significance of sovereignty issues. African states are now striving to gain better control over their strategic resources, critical infrastructures, logistical chains, and industrial capacities. This shift occurs amid heightened rivalries among major powers, with Africa becoming a crucial arena for economic, energy, and technological competition. Therefore, the focus has expanded beyond territorial security to include the security of supplies, data, investments, and infrastructure. In this context, the 2026 report from PCNS provides significant insights by offering a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitical shifts occurring within the continent.
Rabat also stands out as a crossroads for African strategic dialogue, reflecting the emergence of knowledge diplomacy championed by Morocco. Through the PCNS, Rabat aims to promote the production of African analyses on African challenges, fostering a stronger South-South cooperation dynamic. This initiative responds to an increasing demand from decision-makers across the continent for analytical tools that reflect African realities and can illuminate long-term strategic choices. The conclusions drawn from this 10th edition are expected to culminate in a new “Call from Rabat,” aimed at reinforcing mechanisms for continental cooperation in peace, security, and development.
Ultimately, the discussions taking place in Rabat extend beyond mere security concerns; they interrogate Africa's capacity to build resilience in a world marked by geopolitical fragmentation, energy crises, trade tensions, and climate disruptions. The stakes are considerable: transforming current vulnerabilities into opportunities for cooperation, strengthening regional institutions, and accelerating continental economic integration. A decade after its creation, Apsaco reaffirms that African security encompasses much more than conflict prevention—it now includes governance, economic sovereignty, technological innovation, and the continent's ability to advocate for its interests in the shifting landscape of the international system. More than ever, peace remains the fundamental condition for development, while development serves as the best guarantee for lasting peace.
