
In the first years after its launch in November 2007, the African Union’s Panel of the Wise was an important pillar of the African Peace and Security Architecture. The other pillars are the Peace and Security Council, the Continental Early Warning System, the African Standby Force and the Peace Fund.
The panel is an interesting but small institution. Its neither a mediation organ nor a think tank, but something in between and, in principle, has lots of leeway. In the past, the panel has brought many important and complex conflict-related topics to the agenda of the African Union. These include proposing measures to prevent political violence and fight impunity.