By Henry MULINDWA
Challenged! We Need To Do More On Preventive Diplomacy! Uganda Asks AU Nations To Deal With Underlying Root Causes For Youth Participation In Conflicts As It Assumes Peace And Security Council Chairmanship!
Uganda has challenged African member states to interrogate underlying reasons forcing youths to participate in conflicts on the continent. The call was made by Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the African Union, H.E Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otengo who’s currently chairing the African Union Peace and Security Council for the month of April on behalf of Gen. Yoweri Museveni.
Otengo made the remarks during the flagging ceremony for the newly elected members of the PSC at AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The new members to the PSC include Cameroon, Kingdom of Tswatin (Swaziland), Ethiopia and Nigeria.
“We would need to do more on preventive diplomacy including dealing with underlying root causes and drivers associated with the youth participation in conflict and pay close attention to the wisdom of the Panel of the Wise as conflict prevention mechanisms” Otengo told the session. She noted that as the new members join the PSC, they come at a time when the African continent is faced with a bucketful of challenges. She outlined some of them as intra-interstate conflicts situations, military coups, terrorism and violent extremism, climate change, transnational organized crime and cyber security among others.
“[As PSC], we need to apply our minds on what more we need to do together as a collective to address these challenges that the continent continues to endure. In doing so, we need to look out for the greater good of the continent above all other considerations. This is the only way we shall be able to prevent and manage the current challenges” she said.
Otengo also congratulated the newly elected members emphasizing that their election to PSC is a demonstration of the confidence in them not only by their countries but also Africa as a whole.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the AUPSC chaired by Otengo held an open session to deliberate on Hate Crimes and Fighting Genocidal Ideology in Africa.
The session was also used to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda. H.E Otengo gave opening remarks in that meeting before other dignitaries including AU commissioner for Political Affairs Bankole Adeoye, Adama Dieng (Special Envoy for prevention of genocide and other atrocities) and the UN SG special advisor on prevention of genocide came in. The PSC chairmanship is held rotationally among the nine PSC member states to which Uganda is part and currently chairing for the whole month of April. PSC members hold that position for 3 years.
SOURCE: www.theinspector.co.ug
