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quagmire, as well as other concerns, prompted the AU to take steps to stem the persistent fights and address cases of relapse into violence in some parts of Africa.
Thus, in the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration, African leaders resolved not to bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans and undertook to end all wars in Africa by 2020 (African Union 2013).
Democracy
It is noted in the report that the dual issues of good governance and functional democracy were recurring themes throughout the Arusha retreat deliberations. These matters became especially pronounced when participants sought to understand the broad, overarching and macro-level challenges that will increasingly come to confront the continent moving forward, specifically in terms of the pace and nature of globalisation, as well as relevant demographic trends. The present state of governance in Africa, and the need for greater, strengthened and more robust institutions, frameworks and mechanisms that can effectively address and account for such forecasted challenges were discussed to allow for better understanding of these specific issues vis-à-vis ‘silencing the guns’ and efforts to ensure the realisation of Vision 2063.
Good governance focuses on the processes involved in making and implementing decisions and applying the best possible methods for making those decisions. It follows key positive characteristics of citizen participation, consensus orientation, accountability and transparency. It is responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and follows the rule of law (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific n.d.).
Democracy is described as the rule of the people, for the people and by the people. The people constitute the
foundation of the democratic space. In other words, democracy has to run according to the wishes, directions and decisions of the people. The three essential requisites of democracy are:
A well-informed citizenry;
Freedom of participation in decision-making processes and;
Accountability to the citizens by those who, on their behalf, exercise power. Any governing environment that encourages and enables the above can be described as a functional democracy (Opuamie-Ngoa 2011).
In this regard, the pressures on political structures and organisations were singled out as being particularly worrying, as was the need for more robust opposition with the capacity to work together with relevant institutions, and the government, to more effectively implement and execute a development agenda. Social unrest would in all likelihood increase unless deep and far-reaching structural and systemic-level reforms and compromises can be reached. Silencing guns is a call to own the future as well.
Poverty has heightened inequality across the continent, with projections indicating that the majority of Africa’s population is likely to remain in rural areas until the mid-2030s. By 2050, sub-Saharan Africa’s rural population is expected to increase by two-thirds, i.e. 400 million more people (African Development Bank et al. 2015). Other factors, of course, that are fueling raging conflicts include the legacy of colonialism, where it is believed those interested in Africa’s mineral fuel the conflicts. This tends to be linked with ethnicity and political divide that have pitted one group against another for dominance and control of power and resources. Silencing the guns is about equitable development, fighting poverty, fighting corruption, the rule of law and the rights of all emaSwati. It is about social inclusion. The security sector is paid by taxpayers and hence it should protect them.