South Africa was elected on 11 February 2026 by African Union member states to serve a two-year term on the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), beginning 1 April 2026. The election, conducted at the AU Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, reflects the continent's confidence in South Africa's diplomatic capacity and its commitment to multilateral approaches to conflict resolution at a moment when Africa faces significant governance challenges in several regions. South Africa has previously served on the PSC and has been a consistent advocate for African solutions to African problems — a philosophy that will be tested as the council navigates ongoing instability in the Sahel, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan.
The election comes as eleven African countries prepare for national elections in 2026, making this one of the busiest electoral years in the continent's recent history. Uganda kicked off the cycle in January, with general elections on 15 January electing both the president and members of parliament. The African Union-COMESA-IGAD joint election observation mission noted with concern reports of harassment, intimidation, and the arrest of opposition figures, media workers, and civic society actors, as well as an internet shutdown and the suspension of civil society organisations during the electoral period. Observers concluded that the conditions fell short of accepted regional standards for democratic elections.
Nigeria provided a more encouraging governance development in February, as President Bola Tinubu signed into law the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, introducing changes intended to strengthen the independence of electoral processes and reduce opportunities for manipulation. The reforms were broadly welcomed by civil society groups, though opposition parties called for faster implementation before upcoming local government elections. Benin's presidential election, scheduled for 12 April with incumbent President Patrice Talon not seeking reelection, is being closely watched as a test of democratic succession in a country that has made significant governance reforms over the past decade. Ethiopia's June election, where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party is expected to win, faces a legitimacy challenge as key opposition groups have announced boycotts.
The governance landscape in early 2026 also produced a development that alarmed press freedom advocates: Gabon's media regulator announced the suspension of all major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp, citing concerns about conflict escalation and the spread of misinformation. The move drew condemnation from African and international human rights organisations, who warned that restricting digital communication sets a dangerous precedent for the region. As South Africa prepares to take its seat on the Peace and Security Council, these overlapping governance pressures — democratic backsliding in some countries, meaningful reform in others — define the complex continental environment in which the PSC will operate over the next two years.
