In a significant stride toward continental stability and progress, the African Union (AU) and the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) formalized a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 30, 2025, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The agreement creates a collaborative framework to advance Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, emphasizing a values-based approach with the guiding principle of “One Family Under God.”
Key themes of the pact include:
Building sustainable peace beyond political agreements by strengthening moral renewal, inclusive governance, and human dignity.
Leveraging GPF’s peacebuilding model, which prioritizes interfaith dialogue, character education, youth leadership, and community mediation—areas that align with AU Aspirations 3 (good governance, democracy, and the rule of law) and 4 (a peaceful and secure Africa).
Grounding peace efforts in Africa’s spiritual and cultural heritage to foster trust, reconciliation, and grassroots development.
A joint statement accompanying the MoU stresses that lasting peace must be organic and African-led, rooted in shared values and a renewed sense of responsibility toward one another. “Peace in Africa must be built not only through political agreements but also through shared values and restored relationships,” the statement notes. The partnership envisions faith-based and civil society networks playing a pivotal role in resilience-building, youth empowerment, and ethical leadership.
Central to the initiative is the African philosophy of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—which the collaboration uses to center moral and spiritual transformation in Africa’s renewal. The approach seeks to address corruption, conflict, and inequality with a united, values-driven response, paving the way for a continent where peace and prosperity are sustained by common purpose.
Commenting on the development, Father Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka, Director of the African Peace Initiative and Engagement at GPF, remarked that the MoU establishes a new era of cooperative peacebuilding. He emphasized Africa’s agency, interfaith solidarity, and a moral awakening as essential components to realizing a more integrated, peaceful, and prosperous Africa.
The AU welcomed the partnership as a vital complement to ongoing efforts to tackle the root causes of instability and underdevelopment. By connecting faith-based and civil society networks with policy frameworks, the agreement aims to enhance resilience, create opportunities to reduce youth unemployment, and strengthen ethical leadership across the continent.
This development by the Global Peace Foundation and the African Union signals a renewed commitment to holistic peace—one that blends political strategy with moral renewal and community-driven action, rooted in Africa’s rich cultural and spiritual landscape. As the AU and GPF embark on this collaborative journey, many will be watching how these values translate into practical programs and measurable progress toward Agenda 2063’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Africa.
