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African leaders, including diplomats and academics, have said only homegrown solutions can bring peace and security within the continent.
The leaders stated this Friday night at the ongoing African Peace and Security Dialogue organised by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in South Africa.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, the Chairman of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation Board of Trustees, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, emphasised that Africa’s challenges could be addressed through dialogue.
According to her, the gathering was an active platform for critical engagement for the generation of African-led solutions to African problems from an array of individuals with vast experience in matters of peace and security.
Fraser-Moleketi expressed concerns that Africa continues to suffer immensely because of conflicts.
“We are immensely worried that our continent faces myriads of problems, whether it’s climate, debt crisis, civil wars, military takeovers, with the highest number of countries, 16 in total, suspended by the African Union as a result thereof. In many of our countries, the democratic dividend is not extended to the masses of our people, leading to instability and violence.
“With the escalation of conflicts in various parts of our continent, it has shown the AU’s peace architecture to be ineffective. The nature of the war in Africa today, its totality, its brutality, inevitably make those involved commit war crimes against humanity, and possible genocide, making them violate international laws.
“Its impunity with wars and brutality are, of course, a big challenge. So, the ongoing wars and conflicts in various parts of our continent are turning into mass starvation, displacement, and famine. This can be seen in Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Sudan,” she posited.
The TMF chairman noted that the AU Peace and Security Council created almost 20 years ago was envisaged to be the key institution in partnership with the UN Security Council to oversee a new era of dynamic proactive engagement in building peace in Africa, saying, however, that “these institutions seem overwhelmed and unable to stem the tide of conflicts and war.”
The dialogue, she said, was part of a broader initiative driven by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation to support the achievement of Africa’s renaissance, the promotion of democracy, good governance, human rights, and regional integration.
“In time, it is our hope that this dialogue will grow into a central pillar for continental peace and security, bringing together African leaders, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to engage in meaningful and impactful discussions that have lasting consequences for our continent.
“We are convinced that Africa cannot achieve its renaissance amid ongoing conflict. Hence, we cannot tire in convening to ponder on the questions on what must be done for our continent to be at peace with itself and the rest of the world.
“Africa is not a continent defined by its difficulties. It is a continent of potential, of resilience, and of hope. Our people’s strength lies not only in our rich resources or geographical expanse but our shared will to build a peaceful and prosperous future for ourselves and generations to come. This is why this dialogue is so profoundly important,” Fraser-Moleketi noted.
Speaking, a Nigerian scholar, a Professor of leadership, peace and conflict at King’s College London, Funmi Olonisakin, regretted that Africa has ignored homegrown ideas to embrace foreign ones.
Olonisakin mentioned that Africa now adopts external blueprint to respond to African conflicts, saying this has not yielded any result.
Also, the don added that the norms at global and international levels are competing for attention in Africa, making it impossible to end the conflicts ravaging the continent.
She also faulted the leadership approach in Africa, saying the approach is blinkered at local, regional and international levels.
Olonisakin called on countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria and Ethiopia to rise to the challenges of insecurity in Africa.
She said Africa is not moving forward by not focusing on what Africa needs, but on what the powers-that-be need.
The professor noted that Africa’s blind spot lies in its failure to see the strength of its own norms and in a ready embrace of handed-down ideas as superior to its own homegrown ideas and agenda.
In their separate remarks, the Premier of Gauteng Province, Panyaza Lesufi; the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Zimbabwe, Frederick Shava; and his Tanzanian counterpart, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, all called for home-made solutions to the problems confronting Africa.
They charged the leaders and followers to put the interest of the continent first even as the continent eyes leadership positions in the United Nations’ security council.
