0
0 News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://newsghana.com.gh/african-leaders-urge-shift-in-peace-strategies-at-au-summit/
Prominent African policymakers and scholars called for a radical rethink of conflict resolution tactics during a high-level meeting on sustainable peace agreements, held Friday on the sidelines of the African Union’s 38th Assembly of Heads of State.
Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Chatham House, the event brought together regional heavyweights, including ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, to dissect lessons from past negotiations and address Africa’s escalating conflicts.
Dr. Touray, representing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), highlighted the bloc’s decades-long role in mediating crises in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. He stressed recurring challenges, such as leaders viewing peace deals as threats to their authority and factions hesitating to commit to dialogue. “Peace requires more than signatures on paper,” he said. “It demands accountability—reassuring combatants while enforcing consequences for broken agreements, and empowering neutral institutions to safeguard progress.”
The discussion also turned to structural reforms. Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former UN envoy, pointed to Mozambique’s peace process as a model, advocating for greater inclusion of women and youth in mediation efforts. “Excluding these groups ignores their stakes in stability,” he argued, urging harmonized regional approaches and investment in early-warning systems to preempt violence.
Criticism emerged over funding priorities. Professor Ibrahim Gambari, ex-Nigerian foreign minister, lamented the “reactive” focus on conflict resolution rather than prevention. “We pour resources into putting out fires but neglect the kindling,” he said, pushing for mediators to address root causes like governance gaps and economic inequality. His remarks echoed concerns in a forthcoming Chatham House-UNDP report, which informed the summit’s dialogue.
The meeting unfolded against a grim backdrop: active state conflicts in Africa have nearly doubled since 2013, rising from 15 to 28. This surge jeopardizes the AU’s “Silence the Guns” initiative, a cornerstone of its Agenda 2063 development blueprint. Participants emphasized the need for Regional Economic Communities (RECs) like ECOWAS to collaborate more closely with the AU, blending local insights with continental frameworks.
While the path to lasting peace remains fraught, the summit underscored a unified message: sustainable agreements demand inclusivity, prevention, and trust in homegrown institutions. As one attendee noted, “Africa’s solutions must be as dynamic as its challenges.”
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://newsghana.com.gh/african-leaders-urge-shift-in-peace-strategies-at-au-summit/
