Institute for Peace and Security Studies

The Institute for Peace and Security Studies

The Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) is a pan-African think tank based at Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia. The institution was established in 2007 following an agreement between AAU, the Royal Danish Embassy in Ethiopia and the University for Peace (UPEACE) Africa Programme. Mandated by the African Union Commission, IPSS is a leading centre of research and teaching that molds African students and experts into producing and exploring authentic African solutions to peace and security challenges. IPSS attracts students and scholars from the Horn of Africa and beyond. With the support of all its partners, IPSS has entered the ranks of the top 50 think tanks in Africa.

Contents

• The Institute for Peace and Security Studies
• Mission Vision
• Africa Peace and Security Programme APSP
• Tana High Level Forum on Security in Africa
• Partners
• References

Mission & Vision

The main goal of IPSS is to be the premier institute for education, research, and policy dialogue on peace and security in Africa.

The main guiding values are:

Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP)

One of the flagship projects of IPSS is the Africa Peace and Security Programme (APSP), a joint programme between the African Union and IPSS, mandated by the AU’s Executive Council to take up the intellectual challenge of finding African-led solutions to peace and security in Africa.

Education and Professional Development Through several educational programmes such as the Executive MA in Managing Peace and Security in Africa (MPSA), IPSS provides diplomatic officials and professionals with a unique training on the continent’s most pressing issues in peace and security. The skills acquired by these individuals are meant to contribute towards the growth of African experts in peace and security.

Research and Policy Dialogue Additionally, the Research and Policy Dialogue department thrives to produce relevant and critical content for IPSS’s activities, such as monthly briefing sessions, a policy paper series and other external events held in conjunction with regional and national partners.

Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa

IPSS serves as the secretariat for the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, an annual meeting that brings together African leaders and stakeholders to engage and explore African-led security solutions. Taking place each April on the shores of Lake Tana in the resort city of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, the Forum convenes heads of state, academics, the private sector and policymakers for two daysof debate and discussions. The mission of this annual event is top open a vigorous debate on the nature and causes of Africa’s pressing security threats and, over time, cultivate a distinctively African voice on understanding and confronting the chief peace and security challenges facing the continent. IPSS serves as the Forum’s Secretariat

Partners

The growth of IPSS and the stature is has today can also be credited to the diversified portfolio of partners. IPSS has a variety of partners from the private and public sectors, as well as a large support base within the academic community and civil society. Among many others, the Institute is supported by: the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University, African Union Commission, German Foreign Ministry (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Royal Danish Embassy, the Austrian Development Cooperation, the Embassy of Switzerland, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Embassy of Sweden, Friedrich-Ebert- Stiftung (FES), University for Peace (UPEACE), and the Brenthurst Foundation (South Africa).