September 19, 2024

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General News

Africa at critical junction in search for peace –Ibn Chambas

 

By Mufutau Ojo

Former President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, says Africa is now at a critical junction in its search for peace.

 

Chambas spoke after being honoured at the Diplomatic Honours Awards Ceremony held in Accra, Ghana.

 

The forum had in attendance President Nana Akuffo-Addo of Ghana, ministers and members of the diplomatic corps in that country.

 

Chambas, the African Union Chief Mediator on Sudan, lamented the crises raging across the continent.

 

“We are at a critical juncture in our quest for a peaceful and secured Africa and the world, ” he said.

 

The renowned diplomat said geostrategic competition, resort by big powers to unilateralism, the invasion of Libya, wars in Ukraine, Gaza as well as Sudan had contributed to the recent decline of multilateralism.

 

“During the first decade of this century, Africa and West Africa in particular, experienced impressive transition to democratic governance.

 

“Democracy became an enviable norm in the ECOWAS subregion.

 

“Indeed, when I assumed office as Chief Executive of ECOWAS in 2001, majority of Heads of State were military rulers and by the time I left in 2010, they were all elected presidents.

 

“Regrettably, from August 2020 to August 2023, in the space of three years, there were 13 coups or coup attempts in Africa,” he said.

 

He described the crisis in Sudan as the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.

 

Chambas said more than 10 million people had been displaced internally and two million externally as refugees, while several thousands had been killed.

 

“The State of Sudan is on the brink of total collapse and nearly one million are on the verge of dying from starvation,” he added.

 

He also said that violent extremists’ attacks had continued to rise yearly with more than 13,000 fatalities attributable to terrorists’ attack.

 

According to him, the Sahel has accounted for more than half the reported attacks on civilians by militant groups in Africa.

 

Ahead of the Dec. 7 presidential election in Ghana, he urged the contestants, election management body, security agencies and voters to work toward a peaceful outcome.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

Foreign

ECOWAS advises Benin, Niger to put aside differences, reopen common frontier

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) Task Force has urged the Republic of Benin and Niger Republic to put aside their differences through dialogue and reopen their common frontier.

The Task Force Chairman, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, made the call in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday on the recent high-level dialogue between the two countries.

He commended the efforts made by two former presidents of Benin, Nicephore Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi, to normalise free movement of persons and of goods between the two countries, which had been interrupted since July 2023.

Chambas said that free movement of persons and goods between the two countries would help to ease the suffering of people, border communities, cross-border transporters, traders, and travelers.

He recalled the recent mediation visit of the two former presidents to the Niger Head of State, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, in Niamey, during which the two countries united by historic, geographic and social ties exchanged indepth on the way forward.

He also recalled how the President of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, granted audience to a high-level delegation from Niger Republic on return visit, led by the Minister of the Interior, Gen. Mohamed Toumba.

Chambas applauded the constructive initiative of the two former presidents of Benin, the spirit of openness shown by the presidents of the two countries, and the positive discussions on ways to resolve the crisis.

He said that the ETLS took note of the fruitful consultations held in Niamey, acknowledge the reciprocal visit to Cotonou, and the warm reception granted to the Nigerien delegation by President Patrice Talon.

“The ETLS Task Force applauds the spirit of good neighborliness exhibited by both sides and encourages them to resolve any differences through dialogue and within the framework of African brotherhood.

“We urge them to move swiftly to reopen their common frontier to ease the suffering of people, border communities, cross-border transporters, traders, and travelers, in the spirit of Pan-African solidarity and integration,” Chambas said.

ETLS is an ad hoc consultative body established by ECOWAS in Nov. 25, 2015 to ensure effective free movement of people and goods within the community through arbitration and the amicable settlement of disputes among member states.

It was also given the responsibility of advocacy and mediation with the high political authorities of member states. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kayode Olaitan

General News

Sudan crisis has displaced 10m people – Ibn Chambas

The lingering crisis in Sudan has displaced 10 million people while two million others have become refugees, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas has said.

Chambas, Chairman of the African Union High-level panel on the resolution of the crisis, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in a telephone interview that the situation in the war-torn nation was critical.

“There is a very serious humanitarian crisis there; it is a very worrisome situation,” Chambas said.

He expressed regrets that the media was not reporting the scary situation in Sudan.

“The unfortunate thing is that the Sudanese situation doesn’t get to the front pages. It doesn’t get to the news. It is not Gaza or Ukraine.

“It is necessary to tell this story. The world needs to hear the Sudanese story. Any African coverage of this tragedy will be welcomed,” he said.

On the mediation efforts toward ending the conflict, he said that the warring groups were invited to Addis Ababa for talks.

“What we have done is to launch a preparatory meeting for Inter-Sudanese dialogue. We need to end the war and return Sudan to peace.

“We are calling the groups one at a time. We are reaching out to political and civil organisations in the country.

“In the next meeting, we shall be discussing with the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement.

“We shall meet the youth, women, civil society organisations, professional groups, traditional authorities.

“We shall seek views of all groups. We shall ask them to send their representatives. We want an inclusive process that will leave no one behind.

“More importantly, we want to have recommendations on how to end the war. There is a need for a political solution to the crisis. That process has commenced and we are happy with the stage of consultations.

“We are looking at successive inclusive dialogue, transitional justice, security reforms.

“All groups want peace. What we are saying is that they must all play their roles to bring it.”

Chambas decried the role of external groups in worsening the crisis.

“Yes, external groups are playing a huge role in prolonging the violence. But the more the crisis lasts, the more you have the outside forces seeking to fuel it.

“We want these outside forces to support the quest for peace instead of bringing arms.

“We want all groups involved in the crisis to place the collective Sudanese interest above their personal considerations,” he said.

NAN reports that Chambas’ panel had held a five-day preparatory meeting of the Inter-Sudanese political dialogue at the African Union Commission building in Addis Ababa.

During the meeting, the panel reminded participants at the mediation that the focus was on Sudanese ownership and leadership.

It also made reference to inclusiveness, neutrality and transparency in the mediation efforts. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

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