South African President Thabo Mbeki has questioned the commitment of the United Nations to guaranteeing international peace, especially on the African continent.
Speaking at the National War College in Abuja, Nigeria, on Monday — in the wake of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting — the president said: ”While we are aware that the United Nations, primarily through the Security Council, has the primary responsibility to guarantee international peace and security, our experience of the discharge of their responsibilities in regard to conflicts on the [African] continent has not always been positive.”
In a prepared speech released on Tuesday, he said that in Burundi Africans had experienced ”the hesitation of members of the Security Council to act as peacemakers and peacekeepers”.
”So too in Liberia where the Ecowas [Economic Community of West African States] forces assumed that responsibility with courage and determination,” said Mbeki.
Nevertheless, he said the agreement on the establishment of a Peace and Security Council of the African Union ”is an important step towards the attainment of the goal of peace and development on our continent”.
”The council will be a standing decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. The council will also have, as part of its structures, a panel of the wise, an early warning system, an African standby force and a military staff committee.
”The AU has, through the council, defined a new role for the military forces on the continent. Not only are our forces going to take the lead in the maintenance and promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa, but would also participate in the process of creating the conditions conducive to sustainable development.”
Referring to African military formations, he said: ”From a history of being instruments for military coups and dictatorships, our military formations now join hands with the political leadership of the continent to support efforts to create a better life for all Africans.”
Referring to successes already notched up in Africa, he said: ”We should recall the significance of events in 1997 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, when the military forces of Laurent Kabila removed the long-time dictator Mobutu Sese Seko from power and started a process that, six years later, has led to a transitional government of national unity being inaugurated.”
In Liberia Charles Taylor handed over the presidency to his vice-president in August — and went into exile in Nigeria — and the Liberian people are ”well on the way to implementing the agreements” to ensure peace and security, Mbeki said.
The coup d’état in July in São Tome and Principe was reversed when President Fradique de Menezes was toppled while on a private visit to Nigeria but he returned after an agreement to restore democratic rule was reached with the coup plotters.
There was also a new ceasefire agreement between the Côte d’Ivoire government and northern rebels. ”We must all give our support to the disarmament process which is scheduled to start soon,” said Mbeki. — I-Net Bridge