African Union leadership is meeting in Dakar to ventilate on the continent’s security challenges. The International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa started yesterday and will run for two days.
General Mohammed Znagui Ely, G5 Sahel security expert, argues that: “Africa must make an effort on its own security. There must be African solidarity first before calling for foreign solidarity. Then we have to focus on the training of people, Africa’s primary capital. We must take care of the youth.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is the current Chairperson of the African Union, said he is confident the forum will support Africa’s bid for a permanent seat on the G20 and the UN Security Council.
“For us, it is important that Africa positions itself, first of all in terms of multilateralism, Africa needs to be like a giant, and to be considered at the table of the Security Council and to have the right of veto if necessary”, Bineta Diop is the African Union’s special envoy for Women, Peace and Security reiterated.
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Pascale-Mahé Keingna, of Africanews reports that: “For two days, participants will attend workshops to highlight how foreign shocks from outside of the continent impact on the security situation of African countries. The aim of these meetings is to seek solutions that will enable the continent to no longer rely on external support in terms of armed forces or food aid, for example, and to assert its sovereignty”.