Peace, security fundamental for development in COMESA: official
KAMPALA, June 06, 2004 (Xinhua) — Peace and security are fundamental pre-requisites for sustainable development in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states, Ugandan Third Deputy Prime Minister Henry Kajura said here Sunday.
Speaking at the opening session of the Fifth Meeting of the COMESA Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Kajura said that there is an imperative need to bring an end to the conflicts persisting in theregion, in order to make the region attractive to investment and trade in a peaceful environment, and above all advance the integration programs.
Kajura appealed to the relevant partners and international organizations to continue to extend necessary support to the peace building efforts in the region.
He said in order to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts, the root causes of conflicts must be found out first.
“Our efforts to address issues of peace and security in the region will be hampered if we do not invest in research on the root causes of conflicts in the region and develop our own capacity and capability to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts,”he said.
Kajura said the attainment of peace and security in the region will be accelerated if conflict prevention and peace building aspects are incorporated or strengthened in all the development programs.
“In considering issues of peace and security, we should bear inmind the intricate relationship between underdevelopment and poverty on one hand and conflict and instability on the other; with the latter being a cause and effect of the former,” he said.
Kajura called on the member states to expand and strengthen intra-COMESA trade and investment and reduce on dependence on foreign aid and handouts.
“This is the only way to liberate us from the vagaries of foreign dependence and uplift the standard and welfare of our people,” he said.
He commended the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council for their support in addressing issues of peace and security in the region.
Zambian veteran former president Kenneth Kaunda also attended this session. Two Libyans attended the session as observers.
COMESA, set up in December 1994 to replace the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa, is an African regional grouping of 19 countries and about 380 million people with a combined gross domestic product in excess of 180 billion US dollars.