The challenges affecting peace and security in the evolving global dynamics - and their implications for Africa - are high on the agenda of discussions by senior government officials, heads of UN peacekeeping missions, researchers, scholars and academia, during a two-day symposium that started on Wednesday, June 5, at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District.
ALSO READ: Youth radicalisation, violent extremism can be countered if African govts care - experts
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, while opening the 11th symposium, said that the global landscape is marked by rapid and profound changes.
He added that the geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainties, technological advancements, and environmental challenges shape today's reality with far-reaching implications for peace and security globally, regionally, and nationally.
ALSO READ: Justice minister outlines drivers of insecurity, extremism
These challenges, he said, require strategies, operations, and collaborations.
Ugirashebuja said: "The global governance and multilateralism are at a crossroads. Across the globe, multilateralism appears to be in crisis.
"The very foundations of multilateralism--peace and security, human rights, and development--have been strongly shaken by individualistic, nationalism, and unilateralism tendencies. This exacerbates the decline of the current global order while destroying the very foundation of peace, security, and justice."
He added that human rights and other global values and aspirations are in jeopardy because of unilateral wars; be it open armed conflicts, trade wars, or cyberwarfare.
Available data shows that approximately 180 conflicts are currently taking place across the globe. These include interstate, intrastate, extra-systemic, non-state conflicts, and one-sided violence. At least 150 conflicts have been recorded each year, recently. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there were at least 18 states (out of a total of 54) with active armed conflicts by 2021.
"The situation in the East African region is no better than the rest of the other affected parts of the world. Nine of the 22 states or territories were involved in active armed conflict in 2021, with five experiencing ongoing or sharp escalations in large-scale armed violence," the Minister said.
The concept of peace and, to a large extent, of security, he observed, is not defined within the limits of the absence of violence. Almost all the armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa and East Africa, he added, were internationalized due to the involvement of external state actors or the transnational activities of armed groups and criminal networks.
The Minister emphasized that key questions should be posed to understand current global dynamics and how they affect Africa. Thus, issues such as ongoing geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, technological threats, and environmental challenges should be given due consideration in terms of strategic competition among the so-called super powers directly impacts Africa, resource, conflicts in key regions, digital age with both opportunities and risks, climate change and youth radicalization toward violent extremism.
In Africa where approximately 60 percent of the population is under 25, he observed that understanding the factors driving young people toward extremist groups is crucial.
"Africa's youth are its greatest asset. Empowering them through education, employment, and civic participation ensures a peaceful future. The critical role each of you plays in safeguarding peace and security on our continent... your dedication, expertise, and leadership are vital in navigating the complex and evolving global dynamics we face today," Minister Ugirashebuja said.
The 12th intake of the Police Senior Command and Staff Course is attended by 34 students from Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Rwanda, the host.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Rafiki Mujiji, the Commandant of NPC, said that the symposium presents a significant opportunity for debate towards collective efforts to foster a safer, more peaceful world, and a more peaceful Africa in particular.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"As we navigate through an era marked by unprecedented global challenges, the need for comprehensive strategies and collaborative efforts to ensure peace and security has never been more critical. Our discussions will explore various aspects of these issues from understanding today's global peace and security trends, through Africa's peace and security landscape, to proposed solutions to building a resilient, peaceful, and prosperous Africa," Mujiji said.
During the two-day event, panellists will explore different topics under the theme: "Peace and Security in The Evolving Global Dynamics: Implications for Africa."
Discussions on the first day focused on two key issues: global peace and security trends and Africa's peace and security landscape: issues and responses.
Panellists reflected on understanding peace and security, international peace and security normative frameworks, and protection of civilians in the context of peacekeeping operations; and the state of conflicts in Africa, among others.
