One visible example is the construction of a building financed by Germany for the Peace and Security Department of the African Union Commission (AUC). The building will be handed over to the African Union (AU) in 2015. The German Government also supports long-term programmes aimed at fostering the AU’s peace and security architecture, enhancing reliable civilian police structures in Africa, supporting the African Union Border Programme and setting up a Continental Early Warning System (CEWS).

It also takes this approach on the European level, for example by supporting the European Union Training Missions in Mali and Somalia and by contributing to the African Peace Facility via the European Development Fund.

Support on crisis prevention and conflict management

A further important area involves supporting the capacities of police structures. The interregional African police programme, which is run by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Government, plays an important role in strengthening the capacities of police structures in Africa. Since 2009, measures to enhance capacities in police institutions have been launched in 11 sub-Saharan countries as part of this programme. As a result, more than 125 civil border and police stations have been set up and equipped.

The programme also supports the deployment of African police officers to African and international peace missions, as well as the development of police expertise in the African peace and security architecture.

In addition to supporting the African Union, Germany helps the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by providing training and guidance in areas such as border control, respect for human rights and gender issues to over 1000 police officers.