Africa Registered Positive Dev’t on Peace and Security in 2018: Report

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   Addis  Ababa  May  06/2019  The year 2018 was a year in which Africa has registered positive development in term of peace and security issues, State of Peace and Security in Africa (SPSA) reported.

The 2018 the State of Peace and Security in Africa report launched in the lake shore city of Bahir Dar concurrent with the 8th Tana High-level Forum on Security in Africa.

The report was delivered in the presence of African Union Chairperson, Musa Faki Mahamet, President Sahilework Zewudie and former heads of states who attended the forum.

The report depicted the year as a year in which positive results have been achieved in the state of peace and security across the continent.

Former President of Ghana and Chairman of the Forum, John Dramani Mahama, who presented the report, noted some of the indicators that had made the continent to achieve better results in promoting peace and security in the region.

He added that during the previous year African states held successful elections and democratic transition of power was effected indicating that democracy is gradually taking roots in Africa.

The participation of civil societies also observed in many part of the continent in respect to pushing forward Africa’s good governance, he stated.

Moreover, the contribution of young people in the political sector also shows some sort of hope for the participation of the next generation in the politics.

The peaceful rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eretria has also been a glimmer of hope for further development of peace and security in the region, he said.

The hope for lasting peace in South Sudan and Somalia are also the other issues that the report highlighted as positive development towards sustained peace and security in the region.

“These are significant developments that were registered throughout the year, and it will be valuable to encourage the continent to strive for more changes,” he said.

He pointed out that the significant steps that are taken at the political level are helping to reinvigorate regional economy as the region is now preparing to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area effective on June this year.

However, civil unrest and internal conflicts within the countries, the outbreak of non-communicable diseases, and the advent of climate change are the agenda that have become a cause of concern in the region, Mahama said citing the report.

The State of peace and Security in Africa report provides contextual information that should, hopefully, inform the nature, quality and direction of debate on peace and security issues in the continent.

Ethiopian News Agency
2023