Africa: AU Reiterates Efforts for a Conflict-Free Continent

On Monday, the African Union (AU) reiterated the crucial need to redouble continental efforts to silence the guns in Africa and realize a conflict-free continent as it marks the 20th anniversary of the AU Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC).

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To commemorate the occasion, the AU held a high-level colloquium on Saturday under the theme "20 Years of the AU-PSC as a Standing Decision-Making Organ: The Next Two Decades of the Peace and Security We Want in Africa" in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the AU said in a statement.

Addressing the high-level colloquium, Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the AU Commission, highlighted the council's major contributions in promoting and sustaining peace, security and stability across Africa.

"In the heyday of its development, the council has, over the years, established fundamental principles for continental peace and security," the statement quoted Faki as saying.

He said the intimate link between peace and development, the promotion of African solutions to African problems, the rejection of violent solutions to African conflicts, the promotion of mediation and political dialogue, the rejection of external interference, and the unwavering commitment to the independence, sovereignty, integrity and unity of African states have all become part of the collective imagination under the AU-PSC.

According to the AU, since its establishment on May 25, 2004, the council has been actively engaged in addressing peace and security challenges on the continent. It has made decisions that provide political guidance for conflict or crisis situations, including the deployment of peace support operations, high representatives, peace envoys and the Panel of the Wise for preventive diplomacy, which has led to the de-escalation of a number of crises across the continent.

According to Faki, soft cooperation between the AU-PSC and the United Nations Security Council has gradually been established, eventually providing greater visibility and recognition as a primary instrument in sustaining peace and security in Africa.

The AU Commission chief, however, underscored the urgent need to exert concerted efforts to silence the guns in Africa as a cornerstone for realizing a conflict-free Africa in line with the continental vision behind the establishment of the AU-PSC two decades ago.

He said one of the areas that need collective efforts in this regard is ensuring zero tolerance against unconstitutional changes of government across Africa. He further called for strengthening continental cooperation against external interference.

"As everyone knows, the guiding principle of this honorable organ was to ensure value-based management of peace and security issues in Africa by Africans themselves. The background to this was, and remains, the protection of member states against external interference, whether rival or ally," Faki said.

"The notorious lack of inter-African solidarity has left member states beset by insoluble demands for peace and security with no way out. Populism was unleashed, and unconstitutional changes of government quickly proliferated," he said.

According to the AU, the high-level colloquium serves as a unique platform for the council to assess its accomplishments and the challenges faced over the past two decades in discharging its mandate of promoting peace, security and stability in Africa.