AU says will intensify efforts for continent’s peace, security in 2010
By Tesfa Alem Tekle
January 9, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union has pledged commitment to scale up efforts towards tackling various instabilities across the continent this year.
At its special session recently held in Tripoli, Libya, the African Union has declared the year of 2010 as a year of Peace and Security. Union’s statement said.
The objectives of Year of Peace and Security will be to give added momentum to peace and security efforts on the continent, give greater visibility to ongoing and past efforts by the AU on the ground, and speed up the implementation of commitments made by Member States in various relevant AU’s instruments among others.
According to the statement, the decision was taken in the context of the continued peace and security challenges facing the continent. Indeed, while significant strides have been made in the resolution of conflicts in Africa, large parts of the continent continue to experience conflict, insecurity and instability, with its attendant humanitarian consequences and socio-economic impact.
The Year of Peace and Security will be an opportunity for African people and leaders, as well as African institutions in partnership with the international community to review current efforts at peace on the continent.
Armed conflicts in Africa have multiple, long- and short-term impacts on development, and on environmental and human well-being.
Conflict impacts on human well-being, reducing quality of life, the capabilities of people to live the kinds of lives they value, and the real choices they have. It results in the loss of lives, livelihoods and opportunity, as well as of human dignity and fundamental human rights.
Armed conflicts in Africa kill thousands of people every year, displace millions, create humanitarian disasters, and wipe out livelihoods and wealth. Conflicts make sustainable economic development impossible. There is also a more profound loss, the destruction of hope for a better future.
In 2005 the United Kingdom was proud to be a guarantor of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan’s painful civil war. As Sudan enters the critical phase of this agreement we will now step up our engagement still further.
(ST)