‘Harnessing resources vital for peace, stability’

said this yesterday while addressing journalists on the Conference of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services that Zimbabwe hosts from today until May 8.
“This year’s Cissa conference will be held under the theme, ‘The Nexus Between Africa’s Natural Resources, Development and Security’. The relevance of the theme lies in the need for Africa to leverage its natural resources for development and for the upliftment of its people. The theme also underlines the crucial role that security plays in national development.

“The other side of the coin is that failure to harness the continent’s resources for the upliftment of its people could result in instability and insecurity,” he said.
Rtd Maj-Gen Bonyongwe said the conference would continue with the roadmap for increased security and intelligence co-operation among African countries.

He said Zimbabwe was privileged to host Cissa’s 10th anniversary conference at a time the continent’s body, the AU, was commemorating 50 years of its inception.
“The conference is taking place as Africa prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the AU, formerly the Organisation of African Unity. Therefore it is a very special Cissa conference. We celebrate our 10th anniversary and it coincides with the 50th anniversary of AU. For Zimbabwe we have been given a very important conference to host and for that we appreciate,” he said.

He said some of the major security threats the continent faces included terrorism, human and drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, Cissa executive secretary Mr Isaac Moyo, who is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said the conference offered Zimbabwe an opportunity to provide security leadership on the continent.

“I would want to emphasise that what is happening in Harare in the next few days is Zimbabwe providing security leadership on the continent. My job in Addis Ababa is to keep check of the security flashpoints in Africa and assist the AU Security Council give direction to the dynamics of conflicts on the continent,” he said.
Mr Moyo hails from Zimbabwe.