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JOHANNESBURG: African leaders held talks Sunday to review an ambitious plan for a conflict-free Africa as violent unrest escalates in parts of the continent.
The African Union (AU) adopted a plan in 2013 to silence weapons on the continent by 2020. Four years later, leaders signed a roadmap for the practical implementation of the plan.
On Sunday, heads of state and government from across the continent met virtually to assess progress. “As we gather here, we all know that the weapons are not silent yet,” said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the current chairman of the rotating AU presidency, in his opening remarks.
“In some areas, peace has been achieved, but we still face considerable challenges. “There are shortcomings in implementation that need to be addressed urgently,” he admitted. Ramaphosa condemned the acts of terrorism and violent extremism that plague the Sahel region and northern Mozambique.
The South African leader also expressed concern about the situation in Western Sahara, where problems recently arose between Morocco and the Polisario rebels. But he was silent on the fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which has claimed thousands of lives, according to think tank International Crisis Group, and has displaced tens of thousands from their homes, across the border into Sudan.
Ethiopia is home to the headquarters of the AU. While praising the small victories, Ramaphosa reminded his peers that the great continental trade pact that will go into action next month will remain elusive as long as the continent is not stable. On Saturday, leaders officially chose January 1 as the date to begin implementing the gigantic African Continental Free Trade Zone.
Designed as the world’s largest free trade agreement in terms of population, it aims to create a $ 3.4 trillion economic bloc for 1.3 billion people. It was supposed to go into effect on July 1, but the schedule slipped due to complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the slow pace of negotiations. “Its success cannot be separated from a stable and conducive business environment that is capable of attracting foreign direct investment,” Ramaphosa said.
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