The Federal Government has commended the Peace and Security Council of the
\nAfrican Union for providing the continent with an effective mechanism and
\ntool in conflict management.<\/p>\n
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, stated this today at the
\nopening of a retreat for members of the AU Peace and Security Council and
\nRegional Economic Communities (RECs) focusing on the Promotion of Peace,
\nSecurity and Stability in Africa holding at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers
\nin Abuja.<\/p>\n
According to him, the Peace and Security Council \u2018\u2019has been a novel
\nAfrican initiatives in many respects, one that has proven an effective
\ntool in conflict management\u2019\u2019. Speaking to an audience of Ambassadors and
\ndiplomats from several African countries, the Vice President added that
\nthe \u2018\u2019achievements of the Council in its 11 years of existence have set it
\nout as an outstanding best practice, worthy of emulation by other regions
\nin the world\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n
He said the Peace and Security Council \u2018has been AU\u2019s lead response agency
\nin tackling numerous conflicts and other security challenges in all
\nrespects, ranging from political crisis, armed conflicts to humanitarian
\ncrisis as exemplified in the Council\u2019s handling of the recent Ebola Virus
\nDisease in some of our countries.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo also underscored the significance of the needed
\nsynergy between Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the Peace
\nSecurity Council (PSC), an organ of the African Union (AU), emphasizing
\nthat such cooperation is crucial for the African Union as a continental
\nbody. While stressing the importance of the synergy, he said \u2018\u2019the
\nimportance of the two having stronger coordination and synergy of
\nfunctions can never be over-emphasized. Indeed, if the AU is to deliver on
\nthe goals set out in the Constitutive Act, closer cooperation and synergy
\nwith the RECs is one requirement that is absolutely imperative.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Addressing the participants at the retreat on the task before them , Prof.
\nOsinbajo said \u2018\u2019I would like to remind you that attention should be
\nfocused\u00a0 on how the PSC and the RECs can enhance effectiveness and
\nefficiency using their comparative advantages and various capacities
\nwithin the context of subsidiarity and complementarity in the areas of
\nearly warning and early action, conflict prevention, peace making,
\npost-conflict peace building, reconstruction and development,
\nstrengthening of democratic practices and governance, as well as in
\ncombating terrorism and violent extremism.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2019It is when all of these are comprehensively addressed that all the weak
\nlinkages and gaps that often pose the risk of parallel initiatives and
\ncontractions will be eliminated thereby achieving our delineated
\nobjectives under the APSA (African Peace and Security Architecture)\u2019\u2019, he
\nsubmitted.<\/p>\n
Prof. Osinbajo noted that \u2018\u2019today, almost on a monthly basis there is a
\nfresh conflict situation, or a relapse of post-conflict situations. At the
\nsame time terrorism and violent extremism present fresh problems,
\nincluding large numbers of IDPs and refugees going across the borders of
\nneighbouring countries.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The Chairman of the occasion and former Nigeria\u2019s Foreign Affairs
\nMinister, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in his remarks implored the PSC to work
\ntowards enhancing cooperation with the Regional Economic Communities and
\nthe United Nations, emphasizing that there is a need for Africa to take
\nits destiny in its own hand and to de-congest the UN Security Council
\nagenda of African conflicts.<\/p>\n
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the AU Peace and Security Council,
\nAmbassador Mull Katende disclosed that the retreat was being convened at a
\ncritical time in the history of the African continent, when it is
\nconfronted by persistent conflicts, eruption of fresh conflicts and
\nrelapses of some post-conflict situations. He however, expressed his
\ngratitude to the Nigerian Government for hosting the retreat.<\/p>\n
The Abuja retreat is a follow-up to one held in Namibia in May this year
\nand it is intended to provide the ideal opportunity for African
\nAmbassadors and diplomats to reflect on concrete measures for promoting a
\nworking culture that would ensure enhanced cooperation between the PSC and
\nthe RECs in the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Federal Government has commended the Peace and Security Council of the African Union for providing the continent with an effective mechanism and tool in conflict management. The Vice President,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40571,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n