Guest Jakkie Cilliers presents on the African Union’s security structure

Last month, on April 11, the Frederick S. Pardee Center hosted a presentation by Jakkie Cilliers, the founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Security Studies (ISS) based in South Africa. Cilliers, who was visiting Denver on a Fulbright grant, spoke on the security challenges facing the African continent and explained how the African Union Commission (AUC) and its agencies work to ensure peace among Africa’s populations. With a focus on the AUC’s structure, he shared practical insights on the various and often overlapping roles of agencies and actors dealing with African security issues and drew attention to the AUC’s severe lack of resources. Cilliers will continue working with our team through the African Futures Project, an ongoing collaboration between the ISS and the Pardee Center.