Osinbajo to AU, we shouldn’t leave tragic costs of wars in Africa to next generation

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday urged African leaders to do everything within their powers to silence the guns in order not to hand down to the next generation the tragic cost of wars.

He said, “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.”

A statement released by Nigeria acting president’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, quoted Osinbajo as making this statement on Monday at the ongoing African Union summit in Addis Ababa. He chaired the discussion on peace and security as the chairman of the AU’s Peace & Security Council, a continental equivalent of the U.N’s Security Council.

Part of the statement read, “Permit me to convey the warm greetings of the government and people of Nigeria, particularly the appreciation of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari who had requested me to express his profound gratitude for the messages of goodwill from Your Excellences.

“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.

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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.

“The tragic consequences of wars and conflicts in Africa are self-evident. The millions killed and maimed, the Millions displaced, children out of school, set us back decades economically and socially. Our resolve to end wars and conflicts in Africa is therefore our vote for a future of real growth and development for our continent.”
By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

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