Led by Hon. Dr. Sherif El Gabaly, Chairperson of the Committee on Cooperation, International Relations, and Conflict Resolution, today's Plenary Session of the 3rd Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament focused on issues of peace and security.
Hon. Dr. Gabaly summarized the Committee's findings on current conflict statuses in his report. Ambassador William Awinador-Kanyirige and H.E. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, also provided an overview of Africa's security situation. They highlighted widespread insecurity across all five geographical zones, severely threatening peace.
"In East Africa, despite UN peacekeeping efforts, insecurity persists in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)," noted the report. "In North Africa, Libya's chaos has sparked instability across Central Africa. In West Africa, violent extremism fueled by various terrorist groups plagues the Sahel region. Unconstitutional changes of government in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, and Niger have further destabilized populations."
The report described Sudan as a humanitarian catastrophe, with ongoing international efforts struggling to find lasting solutions. "While some regions are not in active conflict, the rise of gangs in Haiti is a concern for the UN," it added. "Africa maintains a stance of non-alignment in the Ukraine-Russia conflict."
The Department of Political Affairs has prioritized resolving crises in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, eastern DRC, and the Sahel region in 2024. Dr. Gabaly praised the collaboration between the Pan-African Parliament and the AU's Department of Political Affairs and Peace, emphasizing its critical role in preventing threats to peace through expertise in peace consolidation and conflict resolution.
The Pan-African Parliament was urged to secure funding from the AU for peace initiatives. Dr. Gabaly highlighted that the Committee also received a presentation from Afrobarometer, a network of Pan-African researchers focusing on governance, human rights, peace, and security since 1999. Their public opinion polls underscored the causes of conflict, including ineffective economic management, high youth unemployment, poverty, and unmet social needs leading to social unrest and military takeovers.
"47% of citizens lack trust in democratic institutions," reported Nyasha Mpani, stressing that poorly conducted elections undermine democratic transitions, sometimes prompting military coups as perceived solutions.
Despite governance challenges, the AU was encouraged to strengthen democracy across the continent. The Committee unanimously praised the presentation but criticized the AU's inefficiencies in conflict resolution, bureaucratic delays, and Western countries' negative influence on African conflicts.
The Committee emphasized promoting education and vocational training to deter youth recruitment by terrorist groups and advocated for African-led solutions to internal issues. Recommendations to AU member states included strengthening democracy, combating poverty and unemployment, providing social needs, promoting national unity, fighting corruption, ensuring democratic transitions, avoiding foreign interference, and eradicating imperialism to curb conflicts.
The Committee urged the AU Commission to allocate a security fund to the Pan-African Parliament for peace initiatives, citing constraints in travel to conflict zones and election observation due to financial limitations.
"The AU Commission must intensify peace efforts, reduce reliance on Western funding, and utilize Africa's resources for sustainable programs," emphasized Dr. Gabaly. The Pan-African Parliament was tasked with enhancing collaboration with the AU's Political Affairs and Peace Security Commission, refining working methods, and organizing fact-finding missions to conflict areas.
Dr. Gabaly concluded by expressing concern over Africa's extensive conflicts affecting all regions and populations, despite AU peace efforts.
