AU High Representative Urges Pan-African Body to Convince Silencing the Guns in Africa

ENA December 1/2019 African Union High Representative on Silencing the Guns urged the Pan-African body to persuade AU Member States to develop and implement National Action Plans on silencing the guns.

The Office of the AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns, in partnership with AUC Department of Political Affairs, and Special Envoy for Women Peace and Security hosted the women and youth caucuses of the African parliament in Ethiopia to shore up efforts aimed at silencing the guns in Africa over the weekend.

The two-day high-level forum for women and youth parliamentarians from the 235-legislative body is a precursor to the launch of ‘Silencing the Guns’ as the AU theme of the Year 2020.

In the occasion, AU High Representative on Silencing the Guns, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra urged the African Union’s legislative arm, Pan-African body, to convince AU Member States to develop and implement National Action Plans on silencing the guns.

“I cannot over-emphasize your oversight role over national legislative bodies. I urge you to use your platform, to lobby African governments to commit to tangible action on peace and security,” Lamamra said.

Peace, security and socio-economic development should be pursued simultaneously since one cannot exist without the other, he pointed out.

African Union Commission STG Operations Manager, Aissatou Hayatou on her part said silencing the guns in Africa is critical measure in achieving a conflict free Africa.

“Silencing the Guns is at the nexus of peace and development. It is not just about guns, it is about what drives people to resort to guns,” she stressed.

As part of AU Agenda 2063, the AU Heads of State and Government adopted Silencing the Guns by 2020 initiative as a flagship project that aims to end all conflicts in Africa by 2020, it was learned.