To prevent emergence of multiple crises…: Mbella Mbella calls for effective operationalization of African peace, security mechanisms.

The Minister of External Relations, Mbella Mbella, has called for an effective operationalization of African mechanisms for peace and security.

This approach, he stated, “is one of the most effective ways” for the Peace and Security Council of the African Union “to carry out the mission entrusted to it, in particular the African Standby Force”.

Minister Mbella Mbella also expressed the firm conviction that the approach “could prevent the emergence of multiple crises and, well beyond that, contain the scale of those that are already rife”. 

He was speaking in New York, September 25. This was during the ministerial meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, of which Cameroon holds the presidency for the month of September 2024. 

It held under the theme: “New threats to security in Africa and the future of the African Union Peace and Security Council”.

The meeting, which Cameroon is leading, for the second consecutive year, was on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA. 

Minister Mbella Mbella told his hearers that the recent visit of AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, of H.E. Bankole Adeoye, to Douala, Cameroon, from August 18 to 20, 2024, to the premises of the African Union's Continental Logistics Base, an essential instrument of the African Standby Force and the Council’s continental architecture, is part of the Union's efforts to capitalize on what already exists, in order to achieve lasting peace.

He regretted the persistence of security challenges on the African continent, as evidenced by unconstitutional changes of government, political instability, climatic shocks among others. 

“These threats, which we can describe as traditional, have been joined by new concerns that are increasingly complex and unpredictable. It is therefore imperative for our Board to adapt so as not to see the development of our continent hampered,” Mbella Mbella said. 

He told the gathering that as has always been said by the Head of State of Cameroon, Paul Biya, there can be “no peace without security, and no development without peace”.

He recalled the recent prescription of President Biya during festivities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Provence Landings in France, when he stated that: “We must find answers to the questions and causes which are the breeding ground of terrorism, injustice and the crisis of confidence in multilateralism, if we hope to bring about concord and make the world a safer place”.

 

Cameroon to pursue efforts of AU

The member of government used the opportunity to pledge that Cameroon will continue to work to pursue the efforts undertaken within the African Union, so that the decisions of the Peace and Security Council obtain the support of all member states. 

“Our development objectives, contained in Agenda 2063, are a reminder that peace is a prerequisite for the advent of the “Africa we want”, an integrated, emerging and peaceful Africa,” he stated. 

Mbella Mbella said there is no doubt that, with the enlightenment of the invited personalities, and the proactive participation of member states, the collective wisdom of the Council will guarantee the full success of work, and open up better prospects for our states and peoples.

 

Strides made in financing peace, security  

With discussions held last year on the prospects for financing the African Union's Peace Support Operations and formulation of recommendations which led to the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 2719, Mbella Mbella reminded all and sundry that the resolution “provides for the financing of up to 75% of the cost of African Union Peace Support Operations, from United Nations assessed contributions”. 

He congratulated member states on the relevance of decisions and the impact it has on Africans, and prescribed vigilance and unity for its implementation. 

Mbella Mbella said the question of financing peace and security initiatives remains a challenge, at a time when the African Union is still engaged in a major reform process. 

He said in this light, a pilot mission from the African Union Commission, led by its Vice Chairman, Dr Nsanzabagwana, visited five countries (Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon) to lobby the private sector for the necessary funding to enable the operational implementation and gradual independence of the Peace Fund.

Minister Mbella Mbella chairing AU Peace & Security Council meeting in New York 

 

 

Zoom on theme, complex threats to peace

Minister Mbella Mbella said this year’s theme: “New threats to security in Africa and the future of the African Union Peace and Security Council”, is about finding solutions to perfect African Peace and Security Architecture and achieve the ideal of “Silencing Africa's Guns by 2030” and Agenda 2063.

He recalled that when the AU Peace and Security Council was created in 2004, the continent was already battling numerous security challenges, including terrorism, transnational organised crime, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, climate change and others. 

He said though these are familiar threats, they have recently taken on new dimensions, making the responses that the Council is working to find more complex.

The minister said added to these old threats are emerging threats, including the use of artificial intelligence and drones for malicious purposes, the arms race in outer space, improvised explosive devices, the use of fully automated military robots known as Killer Robots, malware, ransomware, phishing, disinformation and supply chain attacks. 

He also regretted the increasingly risk of contamination and distortion, and disinformation on social media from automated sources which seem to be on the rise, added to the resurgence of pandemics such as Ebola, haemorrhagic fever, COVID-19, and more recently monkeypox, MPOX, which pose serious health, peace and security challenges, for which the Board was not necessarily prepared.

Minister Mbella Mbella said the pressing question begging for urgent answer is whether the Council, in its current state and configuration, is capable of responding effectively to these new threats to peace and security on the continent. 

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3242 of Friday September 27, 2024

 

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