DAR ES SALAAM — PEACE stakeholders have lauded President Samia Suluhu Hassan's call for urgent concerted efforts among African nations to end emerging security threats, saying sustainable peace requires high sense of unity against all the ordeals.
Their applauds came over the weekend when the Head of the State, Dr Samia was gracing the 20th Anniversary of the African Union Peace Security Council (AUPSC) in Dar es Salaam, where they further underscored the significance of regional and international partnerships, intelligence and coordinated actions on promoting and restoring peace in the continent.
In her speech, she reminded that the continent still experiences conflicts including undemocratic government changes, civil wars and terrorism, which demand inclusive measures from all African nations to contain.
On Sunday, reflecting on the president's call for peace, Director of Africa Peace and Development Network, Dr George Mutalemwa told the 'Daily News' that the partnership for peace among African countries underlines the core values of promoting brotherhood and solidarity as planted by the Africa Union (AU) founding fathers such as the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere through the Ujamaa ideology.
Mr Mutalemwa who doubles as the Executive Secretary of the Association of Catholic Universities and Higher Institutes of Africa and Madagascar (ACUHIAM) said the collaboration towards eliminating persisting conflicts in the continent should go beyond encompassing Heads of State to researchers, activists and academicians so as to elevate awareness on the benefits of good governance which is a foundation for peace "We must think collectively on the future of the generations by promoting peace.
Inclusive discussions and dialogues on sustainable peace building should lead all stakeholders to actions for ending conflicts," Dr Mutalemwa said.
Nevertheless, he noted that peace building also should heighten people to people relations by advocating neighbourhood and prosperity.
Highlighting, the causes of conflicts in Africa, Dr Mutalemwa said it is due to selfishness among leaders including presidents who fail to consider the public interests as outlined in their respective country's constitutions.
In that regard, he called upon all Africans to observe brotherhood, dignity, pan-Africanism and Ubuntu (an ancient African word meaning humanity to others), which together stress for humanity between people.
For his part, Political analyst, Mr Hamiduni Maliseli said one voice from all African nations against wrongdoers, who replace democratic governance with coup d'état and fuelling conflicts will considerable restore peace, adding that united in the continent they stand while divided they fall.
Towards ending long time conflict including in the Democratic Republic Congo, Mr Maliseli said it was up to all African countries to unite in ending rebel groups, especially by deploying troops and putting in place reconciliation to unlock the root causes of the crisis.
He said it is discouraging to learn that for many years the rebels have been destabilising the DRC and the continent at large.
For his part, a Historian, Mr Fredrick Pundo called upon the AUPSC to continue involving former Heads of the State, who retired constitutionally for example Dr Jakaya Kikwete in undertaking mediation and reconciliation in warring countries, so that they can share their experience on good governance and find mutual understanding on conflicting parties with a country.
"These former Heads of State like Dr Kikwete and Liberian Ms Ellen Sirleaf who lived the core values of peace during their presidencies can preach peace through their testimonies," Mr Pundo said.
Furthermore, he urged African leaders to avoid tribal politics and extending their terms of office even after expiring. He said Tanzania which has over 120 united tribes is the best role model to emulate on avoiding tribalism in other countries in the continent.
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Earlier, the Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), Mr Parfait Anyanga in a statement noted that United Nations Secretary General, Mr António Guterres considers regional arrangements for promoting peace as critical building block for a networked multilateralism championing partnerships between the UN and AU.
The PSC council is uniquely positioned to advance political solutions in Africa through a more forward learning conflict preventing approach, consistent with the continent's strong regional integration agenda," he said.
PSC became operational in early 2004 following the adoption of the protocol relating to the establishment of Peace and Security Council of AU in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa and entered in to force in December 2003.
The council started its activities on March 16, 2004 and held its official launch on May 25, 2004 which is also the African Union Day.
