Africa Day 2010: Make Peace Happen
By H.E. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union January 27, 2010 Last updated on May 20, 2010 4:23 pm
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we begin this New Year, it is with a great pleasure that I receive you today to express my most sincere wishes for the year 2010. If 2009 was a good year for you, may 2010 then be a wonderful year, that will bring the fulfillment of your desires in your personal and professional lives. Your noble profession is often difficult. Some of you went through it in difficult situations, thus I want to reiterate the support of the African Union to the media in favor of pluralism, freedom of expression and independent media.
Last year, at this time, 138 journalists were deprived of their right to inform. This year according to “Reporters sans Frontière” (RSF), 187 journalists are imprisoned around the world. Nevertheless many are aware of the crucial role played by media in the promotion and development of democratic values. On several occasions, in Africa, the press has indeed proved its status as the fourth power in elections to name one example. In these circumstances, I thank you on my own behalf and on behalf of the African Union for all your efforts to cover activities of the Union and promoting a true image of the African continent. I encourage you to go beyond so that our work is known by many, including African citizens for whom we get up every day.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 2009, conflicts and crises have again spilled a lot of ink. However, we hope 2010 will be the year for durable solutions and the culmination of processes begun to entrench peace, safety and well being for people in Africa. As I like to say, our ultimate aim is to preserve African citizens from fear, and poverty.
As you are aware of, the crisis in Madagascar that has given us a hard time. Neither The adoption of the Transitional Charter nor the agreements of Maputo and the Additional Act of Addis Ababa were enough to dissolve the Gordian knot of the distribution of ministerial portfolios. I just returned from Madagascar where my mission was to present compromise solutions to the Malagasy parties. The Commission's initiative was welcomed, but no positive conclusion can be announced as of now.
In Somalia, President Ahmed Sharif has opened dialogue with the armed opposition and the hard-line insurgents. Notwithstanding this, Al Shabaab and Hisbul Islam continue to undermine the national reconciliation process by repeated attacks. This further deteriorates the humanitarian and security situation in the country. AMISOM whose mandate was renewed for a period of 12 months has still not attained the authorized effective of 8,000 men. I hope that the promised troops will be on the ground in 2010. In the meantime, it is clear that Somalia is still a major concern throughout Africa and the world.
In Sudan, considerable progress has been made. In January 2010, the process of implementing the global peace agreement has celebrated its 5th anniversary. However, many challenges remain. National elections will be held in April 2010. They will be followed by the referendum for southern Sudan and the Abyei region in January 2011. Regarding Darfur, I hope that the implementation of the Mbeki Report will be a lasting solution.
In Guinea, the existing team will not attend the elections and we hope for the return to constitutional rule as soon as possible.
I hope that wherever else processes of reconciliation, reconstruction and post-conflict mediation are ongoing, peace will settle on a sustainable basis, this is what we are working on achieving and wish for. Hopefully 2010 will finally see the entry into force of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which compliance will contribute greatly to the structural prevention of conflicts on the continent.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The year 2010 should be the year of renewal in Africa. It has been declared the Year of peace and security in Africa (APSA) by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union at the Special Session on the review and resolution of conflicts in Africa, August 31, 2009 in Tripoli, Libya. I have the honor and privilege today to announce its official launch with you and through you to the world press. I know that the success of this initiative will largely depend on the support that the media will provide. So I call up on you to relay this information as widely as possible. I know I can count on you to accompany us throughout 2010 in the implementation of activities planned under the APSA.
We are not claiming that during 2010 there will be no crisis and no conflict in Africa. But the AU Commission will spare no effort to mark this year as a milestone because it will enable the installation of a socio-political climate propitious to rooting sustainable peace and security in Africa. The Year of peace and security in Africa targets four main objectives:
- Giving a new impulse to efforts for peace and security on the continent
- Give greater visibility to past and ongoing efforts of the AU to promote peace and security on the ground
- Invigorate the commitments made by Heads of States and Governments in promoting peace and security
- Establishing a bridge between official efforts to promote peace and security, initiated in the field by the grassroots communities
Through these initiatives, Africa is well under way to find African solutions to African problems. May 2010 mark the end of the scourge of war and the string of miseries it entails. I reiterate my wishes for 2010 and beyond, with us, make peace to prevail in Africa!
Thank you.
Source: http://www.africa-union.org