Africans Must Unite For Peace And End Hostilities

“We are losing the battle to end hostilities. Ours is a call to action. We have come together from different backgrounds and different nations to create a positive, global awakening, responding to the AU’s call for pledges for peace,” these were the words of Emmanuel Jal speaking during the launch of a coalition for peace.

Terrorism, conflict, and crisis have proliferated in 2020, despite calls from AU and UN leaders for a global ceasefire. The combined effects have been devastating for the most vulnerable, including refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees and migrants, as well as youth, women, children, and the elderly.

“There are many complex and interdependent challenges to achieving peace, but every conflict resolution starts with a conversation. And today we are having that conversation and galvanizing citizens to make a commitment to actualizing the AU’s vision of a conflict-free continent,” Folu Storms, a Nigerian actor said.

“Many debates around improving the human condition have surged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. We have seen acts of violence across the continent and witnessed the effects of systemic oppression, a global conversation with practical solutions is the highest priority now,” a celebrated South African Musician Zoë Modiga said.

“All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing. It’s time for us to make our voices heard and to make our actions count. It’s time for us all to make a commitment to peace and dialogue, and to silence the guns,” the African Union Youth Ambassador for Peace, Karabo Mokgonyana chipped in.

To help end all forms of violence and set in motion a grassroots civil society campaign to promote peace a pledge was launched by a coalition of community activists, artists, victims of war, academics, business leaders, and African youth on Monday.

The launch coincides with the conclusion of the African Union heads of state summit this weekend to review progress towards “Silencing the Guns by 2020: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”.

African heads of state at the 14th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly on Silencing the Guns unanimously agreed to extend the initiative’s efforts to end hostilities for another ten years.

They stressed the importance of involving grassroots organizations and African citizens in tackling the root causes of conflict.