Burundi’s Angelina elected 10th president of African first ladies

African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) has elected the first lady of Burundi, Angelina Ndayishimiye, as president and her counter from the Republic of Niger as vice president.

The outgoing president and first lady of Nigeria, Aisha Muhammmadu Buhari, announced this yesterday during the 10th General Assembly of the AFLPM held at State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

She said the tenure of the new president would start on May 29 when her term as first lady ends.

“As you’re aware, my husband tenure as president of Nigeria will end on the 29th of May 2023. Accordingly, a new president and vice president have been elected during our closeddoor session and they’re officially to Burundi as the president AFLPM and the vice president is the First Lady of Niger

Republic,” she said

She wished the president-elect good luck and expressed confidence that her tenure would move the AFLPM a notch higher.

“I promise to remain supportive to her in my role as the Chair of the honourary Advisory Council,” she said.

Mrs Buhari said the five-storey secretariat of the mission in Abuja had been fully constructed under a year and was ready for commissioning today.

She said beyond serving as a secretariat for the AFLPM, the building would also be a home and hope for other Africa women-led organisations and a centre of excellence.

She said it was a true testament of AFLPM’s mission and vision to serve as a supportive platform and mechanism for the women-led initiatives that would contribute to the advancement of peace, stability and security on the continent.

On Sudan crisis, Mrs

Buhari said all hands must be on deck to ensure that the problems were not allowed to escalate.

She said: “Another humanitarian window has been exposed with the sudden eruption of violence in Sudan ....

Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, it is instructive to note that kinetic approaches have not been successful in ending conflicts.

“Accordingly, other approaches must be pursued such as constructive engagement with wealthy individuals to create deliberate opportunities for poverty reduction, engaging the media as a key player to be tasked with its agendasetting role, educational institutions must introduce a curriculum of peace studies and promote the development of peace clubs in secondary schools.

“All of these companies significant roles on their own and in various partnerships,” she said.