In a report it submitted to the African Union (AU), the World Peace Foundation (WPF) suggested the African block should return to its basic and founding principles including ensuring collective security and constitutional democracy.
Entitled, “African Politics, African Peace”, this independent report charts an agenda for peace in the continent.
During an event, which brought together high-level diplomats based in Addis that was held at Hilton Addis, on Thursday, the presenters reflected on the main findings and recommendations of the study.
“Today conflicts are again increasing –due to conflicting government transitions, inter-state rivalries and violent extremism”, the report stated. It reminded that the level of armed conflicts in Africa has declined to an all-time low in 2000, when the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was replaced by the AU.
The report also called on the African Union to stick to the very basic principles it said was founded for. It stipulates principles like collective security, constitutional democracy and inclusivity in peace process among other things.
“Africa’s proven comparative advantage is in the politics of conflict prevention and mediation,” the report stated, mentioning that peace operations are expensive.
“It’s important that primacy of the political ownership of the African agenda is ensured,” Alex De Waal (PhD), Chairman of the WPF, said.
Mulugeta Gebrehiwet, director of the African Peace Missions Program, on his part said that the need for the AU to strengthen its links with the United Nations (UN) and other international agencies to ensure peace operations in Africa. He reflected to the gussets the main findings of the report.
The 68-page report, which was organized under the authorization of the Union, also urges for the AU to address “shared space” issues like the Libyan conflict, the migration crises and the conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden crises.
