AWAAL GATA dissects some of the issues deliberated upon at the 29th ordinary summit of the African Union (AU) Heads of States and governments held in Addis Ababa last week
Themed “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investments in Youth”, the 29th ordinary summit of the African Union (AU) heads of state and government was concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last week. It was convened under a new set of leaders who were elected in January this year. The new Chairperson’s of both the AU commission and the Assembly of the Union of heads of state and government, Mousa Faki Mahamat and President Alpha Conde of Guinea respectively both addressed the Summit.
The two leaders called on member states of the continental union to unite and work together in order to achieve peace and development as envisaged the AU’s agenda 2063. The chairperson highlighted the immense challenges presented by the ongoing violence in South Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and the Central African Republic, tense relations between Djibouti and Eritrea, implementation of the peace agreement in Mali, and political unrest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Guinea Bissau.
As Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council, President Edgar Lungu gave a report on the state of peace on the continent under the theme, silencing the guns in Africa. And President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe called on African leaders to wean the AU from donor dependency to create ownership of development on the continent.
The Zimbabwean president handed a cheque of $1 million to the African Union (A.U.) Foundation as part of efforts aimed at lessening the body’s dependence on foreign aid. The 93-year-old formally handed over the cheque to the A.U. Commission (AUC) chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on the floor of the AU headquarters during the 29th Heads of State summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The amount had been raised from the sale of cattle donated by Zimbabwean farmers following an appeal by Mugabe to help the A.U. self fund its operations. In her address, Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed called for the AU and the United Nations to strengthen their relationship further and to deliver on promised development for Africa’s youth. Nigeria’s Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who spoke as spoke as Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council of the AU for the month of July 2017, urged African leaders to affirm their readiness to a comprehensive approach in addressing the root causes of violence in countries on the continent.
He said as the continent strategizes towards ‘silencing the guns’ between now and 2020, the people must ensure that they live in peace and harmony among one another. According to him, “The Peace and Security Council has continued to relentlessly discharge its mandate of promoting peace, security and stability in our continent. Our peace and security agenda must remain on the front burner of our deliberations. We have no choice peace, security and stability are fundamental to the realization of sustainable development and to assure our peoples of decent and happy lives. As we move towards silencing the guns by 2020, our collective resolve must remain solid and steadfast to effectively tackle conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Pursuant to our 50th Anniversary’s Solemn Declaration, and under Nigeria’s chairmanship of the Peace and Security Council in the month of July, we will prioritize the adoption of practical measures
to address the current security challenges in South Sudan, Somalia, Guinea Bissau, the Sahel-Sahelo and Lake Chad Basin regions. Furthermore, Nigeria will strengthen the engagement with all AU Member States in confronting the menace of child soldiering and millions of out-of-school children in armed conflict areas. To this effect, I would like to urge your full support and cooperation in this endeavour.” For the vision to be achieved, Osinbajo called on the governments of the various African countries to implement implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), especially the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF) and the Peace Fund. Adopted in 2002, APSA is built around structures, objectives, principles and values, as well as decision-making processes relating to the prevention, management and resolution of crises and conflicts, post-conflict reconstruction and development in the continent.
Osinbajo said, “As a first step, we must ensure the full implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), especially the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF) and the Peace Fund. In particular, the Government of Nigeria reiterates the need for the Peace and Security Council to work towards removing all distractions and impediments to the full attainment of operational capacity of the African Standby Force. To ensure the effectiveness of the African Union peace support operations, the Regional Economic Communities and relevant international bodies, especially the United Nations must remain strategic pillars of peace, security and development of the Continent as envisioned in Agenda 2063.” He added that, “We must redouble our efforts and, and without equivocation avail the necessary resources, in order to successfully achieve the goals set out in Agenda 2063.
We need to rekindle our political will and determination not to bequeath to the next generation of Africans the burden of wars, poverty and misery. It is therefore necessary for the Assembly to reaffirm the overriding importance of holistically addressing the root causes of violent conflicts in our countries.” Although ways through which the potentials of the African youths could be harnessed visavis the socio-economic progress of the continent was the key issue at the summit, it was duly resolved that nothing could be achieved without peace, hence it was resolved that no stone would be left unturned for peace to be achieved. Twenty-four leaders, including those of Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, attended the summit.
