Addis Ababa- The African Union and the European Union are working very closely to ensure peace and security on the African continent and the AU is benefitting from the EU's experience in regional integration. The EU also contributes significantly to the African Peace Facility.

This was said at the African Union today by the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission Mr. Erastus Mwencha, when he met a visiting delegation from the European Union Military Committee.

Mr Mwencha said the AU pursues two primary mechanisms in managing conflicts. The first is to prevent conflicts from arising and escalating. Should conflicts occur despite the prevention efforts, the AU manages the conflict and attends to post conflict reconstruction.

In this regard, the AU employs the following strategies among others:

• An early warning system that gives the AU signals of emerging conflicts
• A Panel of the Wise which comprises retired or senior citizens on the continent who, try to talk to parties concerned with a view to avoid conflict escalating
• The Peace and Security Council which has 15 members from the 53 AU member states. The Council intervenes to make sure that conflicts do not occur. It also tries to resolve the conflicts and minimize human losses, while working closely with UN Security Council
• The African Standby force

The DCP reported that 10 years ago, one third of the continent was in active conflict. Today, however, these are concentrated in Somalia, Sudan and the Great Lakes areas. Other worrying situations exist in Madagascar, Guinea and Niger where the AU continues to monitor and support the political processes.

Finally Mr. Mwencha emphasized the need to prevent conflict, by saying that since 1990 Africa has lost over 300 billion through conflict, retarding the continent's development and integration. "We need mechanisms that can help us to stop conflict", he added.