AU council needs defined methods

THE African Union Peace and Security Council must strive for well-defined working methods so it can deal with an increasingly hostile peace and security environment, and ultimately silence the guns on the continent and beyond, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava said last week.

Opening the 14th Retreat of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in Victoria Falls, Minister Shava said the retreat was a strategic and necessary step towards strengthening the implementation of AU decisions and to steer the continent towards the “Africa We Want” as espoused in Agenda 2063.

“It is only through well-defined working methods that the council will be able to tame and transform the increasingly hostile peace and security environment on our continent and beyond,” he said.

Minister Shava said Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections next year will present an opportunity for the country and continent at large to showcase Pan Africanism and peace.

“Zimbabwe will hold its general elections in 2023,” he said.

“We are thus, presented with another rare opportunity to, not only show the world that democracy thrives in our country but to also consolidate our engagement and re-engagement process.”

The country looked forward to the usual Pan Africanist support of the AU to ensure that the will of the people of Zimbabwe prevailed and is fully respected.

Minister Shava thanked the Peace and Security Council and the entire AU for the unwavering support towards the removal of the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe would remain grateful to the progressive members of the global community for their principled stance against sanctions as Zimbabwe is indeed a friend to all and an enemy to none.

Minister Shava said the retreat presented a unique opportunity to objectively refine the manner in which the council managed its business and delivered on its mandate.

“The Peace and Security Council has to continuously develop the capacity to effectively confront the complex and multidimensional challenges as envisaged by the principle of African solutions to African problems,” he said.

The implementation of the African Union (AU) master roadmap to practical steps of silencing the guns in Africa by 2030 was a key component to this process.

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