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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
African nations must control all peacekeeping operations on the continent and retain ownership of the African Union policies, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava said in Algeria recently.
He was in Oran, Algeria, where he attended the 10th annual Ministerial High-Level Seminar between the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the three present African members of the United Nations Security Council – Ghana, Gabon and Mozambique.
The meeting was held under the theme of assisting incoming African members of the United Nations Security Council in preparing to address peace and security issues on the continent.
“The main issue under discussion at the seminar was a draft resolution on the financing of AU-led peace support operations.
“Like other PSC members, I welcomed the draft resolution, which is ample evidence of the growing momentum towards our common position,” said Minister Shava.
“However, I underlined the importance of ensuring that African common positions were respected, namely the principles of AU ownership and leadership, as well as command and control of all peace support operations on the African continent.
“I also reiterated the need to ensure that the primacy of the UN Security Council in maintaining international peace and security is demonstrated by ensuring the predictable and sustainable funding of peace support operations on the continent from UN assessed contributions. I urged the African Three to continue to negotiate on behalf of the AU to ensure this desirable outcome.”
Other panel discussions were held including one for the 10th anniversary of the High-Level Seminar and the role of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and its role in promoting Africa’s voice on peace and security issues in the United Nations Security Council agenda.
“During the deliberations, I emphasised on the role of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in promoting Africa’s voice on issues that are on the agenda of the UN Security Council. I went on to stress the need to focus on strengthening the cooperation between the AU Commission and the United Nations,” Minister Shava.
“I also highlighted the need to uphold the principle of subsidiarity and complementarity to allow the AU and its regional mechanisms to play a leading role in finding practical and lasting solutions to conflicts on the continent.”
Minister Shava urged the African members to have a more influential voice in the UN Security Council including on African issues in order to ensure that the continent takes control and ownership of its issues.
He urged the AU to decisively deal with the rise of unconstitutional changes of government on the continent and proposed that an in-depth analysis on the root causes of them.
Online Reporter