---
title: 'AU Representative to China Calls for Horn of Africa Reconciliation Compact'
url: 'https://thediplomaticinsight.com/au-rep-china-horn-of-africa-reconciliation/'
author: 'News Desk'
date: '2026-05-23T14:55:42+05:00'
categories:
  - 'Africa'
  - 'Diplomatic News'
---

# AU Representative to China Calls for Horn of Africa Reconciliation Compact

**Libreville (TDI):** Ambassador Sarjoh Bah, the AU Permanent Representative to China, gave a stark warning that peace efforts across the Horn of Africa are being undermined by regional rivalries, over-dependence on external partners, and a failure to link security with economic development.

He delivered the remarks at the 17th AU High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace and Stability in Africa, held in Libreville, Gabon on 21–22 May 2026. The retreat convened under the theme *“*Powering Ceasefire, National Dialogue and Reconciliation for Durable Peace.*“*

Speaking on a panel dedicated to the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Bah argued that the region’s persistent instability stems from three structural failures; limited African agency in driving peace processes, an absence of strategic convergence among key actors, and entrenched regional competition.

**
Amb. [@SarjohBah3](https://twitter.com/SarjohBah3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw), AU Permanent Representative to China 🇨🇳, participated in the 17th AU High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace and Stability in Africa, held in Gabon from 21 to 22 May 2026 under the theme “Powering Ceasefire, National Dialogue and Reconciliation for Durable… [pic.twitter.com/ozBy2qZyxH](https://t.co/ozBy2qZyxH)

— African Union Permanent Mission to China (@AUMission_China) [May 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/AUMission_China/status/2058093611548328194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

“Sustainable peace cannot survive on empty stomachs,” he declared; a reminder that political frameworks alone cannot hold without addressing the economic drivers of conflict.

His most significant proposal was a call for a Regional Truth and Reconciliation Compact for the Horn of Africa, a mechanism he argued could foster trust and alignment currently absent among member states.

He urged the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to convene a formal regional dialogue process to anchor this reconciliation effort.

On Somalia, Ambassador Bah acknowledged that regional member states have shown meaningful commitment to the AU Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) through troop deployments, but cautioned that military contributions have not translated into political coherence.

He attributed this partly to an over-reliance on external partners, and called on the international community to give the AU and IGAD the political space and support needed to lead peacemaking efforts on their own terms.

Read More: [African Union Convenes Peace Summit in Gabon](https://thediplomaticinsight.com/african-union-convenes-peace-summit-gabon/)**

Regarding Sudan, South Sudan, and the Tigray region of Ethiopia, he argued that regional competition is directly contributing to the absence of decisive action.

Ambassador Bah also praised the* Panel Approach* employed during the Tigray peace process as a model of African leadership, crediting it with delivering the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA).

He stressed that ceasefires must be followed by robust political and operational frameworks to be durable; pointing to the AU Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mechanism (AU-MVCM) in Tigray as a working example.

On maritime security, he called for a regional cooperation framework covering the Red Sea and contiguous states, warning that growing contestation over the waterway risks deepening polarization across the region.

Ambassador Bah anchored his vision in the AU’s long-term continental blueprint, arguing that a focused implementation of Agenda 2063 is essential to dismantling the structural conditions that fuel conflict.

The AU High-Level Retreat is an annual forum bringing together senior African policymakers, mediators, and diplomats to advance the continental peace and security agenda.