JEAN PING
Over the past twenty years, Africa has witnessed a number of long-term, severe and, partly, interrelated crises and violent conflicts. These have been caused by: ethnic and religious extremism; corruption; exclusionary definitions of citizenship; poverty and disease; the illegal exploitation of Africa’s renewable and non-renewable natural resources; and the phenomenon of mercenarism. This situation is aggravated by the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons and the scourge of drug trafficking, which poses an ever increasing threat to peace and security in Africa.
The continent also continues to face the threats posed by terrorism and transnational organized crime. Furthermore, Africa has recently witnessed the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of Government, which represents a serious setback to the democratization processes. Mention should also be made of the emerging trend of election-related violence and conflicts, and the persistence of border disputes and conflicts. Of equal concern are the implications of climate change and its resulting consequences for our quest for peace and the efforts being made in this respect.
This is the backdrop against which African leaders committed themselves to working towards dealing decisively with conflict and its root causes, giving birth to the 2010 Year of Peace and Security in Africa. Understanding that the challenge of attaining sustainable peace and security is an undertaking of many years, African leaders sought to find a moment in time through which to build awareness, educate and empower the people of Africa and garner the necessary support for the long-term push for peace in Africa, beyond 2010.
African leaders have a role to play, but so do all Africans in their individual and collective capacities, everyone has a responsibility to ensure that the destiny of our continent is transformed, forever.
Will you be a part of the change we need in Africa, in 2010 and beyond?
