BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
The outbreak of conflict is not a new phenomenon for most Africans. The occurrence of violence has been observed in many parts of the continent. These affect human, national and international peace, stability, and security. The absence of peace also hinders the desire for economic growth, development, and integration across the continent.
The African Union (AU) has designed Agenda 2063 and other strategies to ensure the prevalence of peace, security, and stability across the continent by silencing the gun by 2020. Because peace and stability are the prerequisites to bringing development and improving the livelihood of the people.
Besides, ending all wars and violent conflicts on the continent and promoting dialogue-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution are key to co-existence and tolerance for the people of Africa. Eliminating and preventing the causes of conflict is also necessary to reduce military resources and secure the state’s monopoly on the use of force.
Devising workable tools and mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of conflicts in all areas of the continent is very essential to promoting a culture of peace and tolerance among the peoples of Africa. To support these facts, the government of Ethiopia is working to create favorable conditions for the implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement that was signed in South Africa on Nov. 2, 2022. The peace accord is important to silencing guns and peaceful resolutions for any conflict.
The peace deal that was signed between the government of Ethiopia and Tigrayan rebels end the two years of conflict in the northern part of the country. The agreement helps the country to avoid hostility, and end the fighting formally, and permanently which is a major step toward silencing guns across the continent. It is also a major achievement for the motto of African problems for African solutions.
Because the Pretoria peace agreement, an AU-led peace process, is facilitated by the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South Africa Deputy President Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and the regional organization IGAD.
Hosting and facilitating the peace deal has been held with the spirit of Pan-African solidarity to find African solutions to African problems. The AU has been encouraging the parties to seek a lasting political solution to the conflict in the supreme interest of Ethiopia.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat said that the commitment to peace by both Parties and the AU-led process to silence the guns is imperative for a united, stable, peaceful, and resilient Ethiopia.
The AU special broker Olusegun Obasanjo on his part noted that the peace deal is a significant agreement to “permanently silence the guns.” Because the parties agreed to “systematic, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament.”
Taking the peace deal to a higher level should be the new beginning which all Africans should support and recognize it. Because the Pretoria peace agreement is a sign that Africans can resolve conflicts by themselves through peaceful discussion.
According to foreign military attachés residing in Addis Ababa, implementing the peace deal without any preconditions is key for Ethiopia to bring the desired peace and stability across the country. Other countries should also learn from Ethiopia’s peace deal implementation to ensure peace and stability as well as develop and promote dialogue-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution in the continent.
South African Defense Attaché Colonel Goodman Hokwana noted that the peace agreement marks a very important impetus to permanently cease the conflict in the northern part of Ethiopia. Putting down the guns and focusing on the economic development of the country is a very important step.
Ethiopia became an example to promote dialogue-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution in the continent. Hence, a lesson of sitting down and talking for negation should be taken by other countries that are faced with the same problems as Ethiopia, he added.
Nigerian Defense Attaché Colonel Rufai Umar Mairiga explained that the peace deal is a sign that Africans can solve their problems through negotiations and dialogue. “If you look there are no foreign troops there, it is only the TPLF and the government and they have agreed. So it is possible through discussion. Hence, Africans can solve their problems through discussion.”
Indeed, “Silencing the Guns” is a slogan that promotes silencing all illegal weapons in Africa. Hence, the Pretoria peace agreement has achieved peace for Ethiopia while promoting the motto of “Silencing the Guns” which is important for the peaceful resolution and management of conflicts in Africa. Ending conflict is key to showing Africans can resolve conflicts by themselves through peaceful discussion.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD 1 FEBRUARY 2023
