AU Chief Calls For Inclusive, Tolerant Societies In Africa The African Union Commission chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has called for inclusive, peaceful and tolerant societies in African. 27 January 2014
By Francis Apiliga Lagu *Juba, 27 January 2014[Gurtong] -* She made the appeal during the official opening ceremony of the 24th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council today at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to Dr. Nkosazana, during 2013, notable progress was made in Somalia, Mali and Madagascar but African continent was confronted by the tragedy of Central African Republic and South Sudan. "In all these instances, the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities, with the help of the international community, acted together to help these countries find peace, and to create a climate for lasting solutions to their conflicts," she said in her opening speech. The AU chief believes to have sustainable peace and achieve a violence free Africa by 2020; concerted and deliberate efforts are needed. "We must continue to emphasis that if we want to silence all the guns by 2020, we must build inclusive and tolerant societies, manage our diversity, ensure forgiveness and reconciliation and respect for human rights," she said. "At the same time, we must act against impunity, hence the recommendation before this Summit to expand the powers of the African Court for People's and Human Rights." She says the cost of conflicts and internal strife are too huge, in the devastation of human lives and sufferings and at the cost of our development. "We must therefore continue to create climates for peace and stability, including effective, democratic and accountable governance and institutions, and by ensuring development and shared prosperity." The armed internal conflict in South Sudan that started as a political power struggle within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, degenerated into largely a tribal killing which has claimed thousands of lives, destroyed property and displaced about 500,000 people with some fleeing to neighbouring countries. The International community especially African Union has been greatly concerned about the unrest in the world's newest nation that seceded from Sudan in 2011. The signing of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediated cessation of hostilities by the representatives and anti-government forces on Thursday is expected to set the pace for an inclusive dialogue and a national reconciliation for a lasting peace in the new nation. Posted in: Home<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx> , Foreign Relations<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/5/Foreign-Relations.aspx> , Governance<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/6/Governance.aspx> , Featured Stories<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/137/Featured-Stories.aspx> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14op%2B6aRu%3D-hWUg-QHZW_5fj_GPaozd-w0x_o_yk5S8OhEw%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
