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The Vice President of the Republic, Mr. Mahamudu Bawumia, praised the very important role that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have played and continue to play in the growth and maintenance of democracy in the world, especially in Africa.
According to the Vice-President, the complementary role played by civil society organizations over the years, particularly in the monitoring of elections and the presentation of reports by WANEP, is an essential factor for the accelerated growth of democracy in Africa, especially in the subregion of West Africa, as well as governments and citizens. of the region must work hand in hand with them to ensure lasting peace.
"CSO support to electoral management bodies and their engagement with key stakeholders to ensure peaceful and credible elections are critical to the success of democratic transitions. WANEP has demonstrated its capacity in this area through its Monitoring, Analysis and Mitigation (E-MAM) program, which aims to monitor and prevent electoral violence … country, my party and I are directly beneficiaries of the project implemented in partnership with National Peace Council, "he said.
Vice-President Bawumia acknowledged the important role played by civil society organizations in delivering the Keynote Address at the 20th Anniversary of the West African Peacebuilding Network (WANEP) at Accra on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. The theme of the celebration is "Twenty Years of Peacebuilding in West Africa" and brought together WANEP leaders from across Africa, as well as organizations dedicated to promoting peace in Africa. peace and security.
"While the primary responsibility for strengthening and consolidating democracy, peace and security rests with national governments, CSOs have demonstrated their ability to complement government efforts, and political leadership around the world has come to realize Usefulness of civil societies in this regard, "Vice President Bawumia said.
"CSOs in West Africa have undoubtedly played a crucial role in promoting the ECOWAS peace and security agenda at the regional and national levels. It is increasingly recognized that CSOs often have unhindered access to conflict areas and are in direct contact with victims, which enables them to provide unique types of information necessary for the management and maintenance of conflict. conflict transformation.
"Community leaders, women's groups, media actors, the private sector, including businessmen and women, have demonstrated their influence in conflict prevention and the search for peace and stability. as prerequisites for sustainable development. "
The Vice President urged governments and businesses to support the activities of CSOs, stressing that a peaceful environment is a prerequisite for business prosperity.
"The business world should consider sustained investments in peace and security through professional CSOs. This type of investment transcends the usual corporate social responsibility and should in fact be part of the annual budget of professional organizations.
"The missing link in ongoing efforts to consolidate peace and development in Africa is certainly the lack of formal involvement of economic operators and investors in the peace process, which is jeopardizing the peace process. independence of many civil society organizations in Africa, "he noted.
Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, and head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and Africa the Sahel (UNOWAS), also celebrated the "invaluable contribution of WANEP contribution" to peacebuilding in the West African sub-region and beyond, claiming that it reflected the crucial role that CSOs continue to play to keep the peace.
Meanwhile, 16 renowned peacebuilding and conflict resolution experts have been unveiled as Peace Fellows of the College of Peace under the auspices of WANEP. Members were sworn in by Vice President Bawumia.
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