Let’s safeguard Africa’s peace – Stakeholders, CSOs

The region, in the past and recent times, has experienced instability and insecurity.

This has been attributed to poverty, human rights abuses, poor governance, political exclusion, endemic economic and political corruption; and weak statehood.

According to Dr William Adjei Twumasi, who chaired the occasion, this year’s theme, ‘Safeguarding the peace processes in Ghana, the role of global peace associations of Ghana, the IPB networks and other Civil Society peace Organisations in Africa’ is timely and appropriate.

He said at the end of the cold war, many states in Africa experienced military coups, attempted coups, civil strife, and violent internal conflicts posing new challenges to the continent with West Africa being among the hardest hit in the sub-region.

He said that West Africa has proved to be one of the poorest and most unstable sub-regions in the world and a major arena for some of the most brutal conflicts in the contemporary world.

Hence, he noted, swift interventions are needed to change the narrative.

In his keynote address, former Health Minister Samuel Donkor Nuamah said peace within the sub-region has been attacked and called for formidable forces to get on board in tackling the situation.

He said peace can only be achieved when we admit the rule of law, respect people’s rights, and encourage social justice for all without any distinctions.

Mr Reiner Braun, the guest speaker for the occasion, called on the organisations to be united in standing against illicit arms.

Other leaders from the various organisations took turns to give solidarity messages geared toward safeguarding the peace of the region and the African continent at large.