[ad_1]
Africa must stop relying on foreign intervention to settle conflicts on the continent, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community.
Dr. Richard Sezibera spoke Wednesday in Kigali at a public lecture on the principles of Kigali, a UN-backed framework with 18 recommendations adopted in the Rwandan capital in May 2015.
Security and protection of civilians in conflict zones is at the heart of the Kigali Principles and Sezibera said the non-binding mechanism has the potential to give Africa the means to deal with conflicts on the continent without have to wait for outside solutions.
"There are more conflicts outside of Africa than in Africa," he said. "But Africa has a long history of outsourcing the management of our conflicts."
When there are conflicts in Europe, he said, "the Europeans manage them. When there are conflicts in Latin America, the South Americans manage them and Asia also manages its own conflicts ".
In Africa, we outsource conflict managers, he noted.
"Because of this, the world sees us as a continent of conflict," said the minister. "It must change, and it changes. And that's why things can not happen as usual. The principles of Kigali are important to show that when we manage our own conflicts, we will do so with sensitivity, commitment and especially with the determination to protect our own citizens in case of conflict. "
At the public conference, speakers, including political and military leaders, as well as academics, discussed the challenges and prospects of peacekeeping for the protection of civilians under the Kigali Principles, which defines a plan to strengthen the international community's commitment to effectively protect civilians.
According to Sezibera, as the world changes, "the nature of the conflict is too."
The framework of Kigali principles is part of the current thinking and, although not binding, it is a critical step in the right direction, he said.
"We can not live as if the world around us has not changed," Sezibera said. "The conversation [on the Kigali Principles] is particularly important for Africa.
He stressed that the dialogue was in line with the Rwandan Government's vision of the protection of civilians.
Rwanda is the fourth largest contributor to peacekeepers in the world.
General Patrick Nyamvumba, Chief of the Defense Staff of the Rwandan Defense Forces, explained how the Kigali Principles strengthen the mandate of peacekeepers in protecting civilians.
Nyamvumba, who served in Sudan as commander of the AU-UN Hybrid Operation Force in Darfur from 2009 to 2013, said the idea behind the commitments under the UN's principles of Kigali was about developing a common framework to guide peacekeepers during their missions. special attention to the effective protection of civilians.
The mechanism also aims to ensure properly trained peacekeepers, adequate equipment and strong political commitment.
"Without effective protection of civilians, the very idea of having a peacekeeping mission makes no sense. I appeal to all countries that have not adhered to the Principles, because they are a very good working tool to preserve human life. "
Dr. François Masabo, Acting Director General of the Center for Conflict Management (CCM), who was one of the panelists, praised the Kigali Principles, saying that they place civilians at the center of missions peacekeeping.
The paper represents a shift from state-centered interventions to person-centered interventions, he said.
According to Dr. Jean Paul Kimonyo, advisor to the president, the Kigali principles were based on field experiences.
"It's clear and has been written by people who have been on the ground and know what they are talking about."
The event was organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Source link
