Tag Archives: Africa

Africa: DUT’s ICON Introduces Peacebuilding Studies to International Students In DRC

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Nduduzo Ndlovu from the Durban University of Technology

The International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) based at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) hosted a five-day workshop at the La Sapientia Université Catholique, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo from 10 to 14 June 2019


Pictured: Prof Geoff Harris, Dr Joseph Rudige, Fr Innocent (Rector of La Sapientia Université Catholique) and Dr Chrys Kiyala.

The main aim of the workshop was for each of the six participating universities to develop a draft strategic plan to introduce postgraduate studies in peacebuilding. Subsidiary aims included promoting the use of participatory action research and building relationships between universities in the Great Lakes region.

“The six universities have begun working on strategic plans to establish Peacebuilding within the next couple of years; they have established a coordinating committee and are exploring ways of collaborating with each other; and three members of their academic staff will commence PhDs in Peacebuilding at DUT next year,” said ICON’s Professor Geoff Harris.

(Articles continued in right column)

Questions for this article:

What is the relation between peace and education?

Where is peace education taking place?

(continued from left column)

The workshop was led by Professor Geoff Harris and Dr Chrys Kiyala from ICON, assisted by Dr Joseph Rukema from Sub – Saharan Africa University, Goma. There were 22 participants,18 from five Congolese universities, two from a University in Burundi and two student observers from the Sub-Saharan University of Africa. One participant – Theodore Mbazumutima is a recent PhD graduate in Peacebuilding from DUT and another participant – Josephine Mauwa Kimanu is a current PhD student with DUT.

Prof Harris elaborated on some of the aspects of the workshop. “We used a participatory and experiential learning approach. Some lectures were necessary but the best learning,we feel, took place in small groups as participants wrestled with the issues and came up with promising insights. We did not prescribe how peacebuilding programmes should be organised. This can happen in a number of ways and we were aware that many factors will influence the choices which any University will make,” he said.

“We encouraged the use of participatory action research, an approach with which ICON has particular expertise, and helped participants to develop draft plans of how they might set up their own peace programme and the shape these might take,” he added.

Prof Harris also expressed appreciation at the commitment from Rector of La Sapientia Université Catholique that his University will coordinate future cooperation between the five universities with DUT. “It is very likely that three of the participants will commence PhD studies with ICON in 2020. Overall, we are confident that the workshop will act as a springboard for efforts to develop a culture of peace in the region,” said Prof Harris.

The workshop was funded by a grant from the NRF’s KIC Africa Interaction programme and enjoyed generous hospitality from La Sapientia Université Catholique.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

2019 SVNP Annual Conference: Youth and Peacebuilding in Africa

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An announcement from the Wilson Center

A Southern Voices Network for Peacebuilding Conference co-hosted by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Africa Program, the Centre de Recherche et d’Action pour la Paix (CERAP), and Centre Ivoirien de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (CIRES) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. 


Photo from 2018 conference

Africa is the world’s youngest continent with nearly 60 percent of its estimated 1.3 billion population in 2020 between 0 and 24 years old (UN Population Division). This ‘youth bulge’ will play a major role in shaping Africa’s future. The African Union has made engaging the continent’s youth in mainstream development agendas a priority on Agenda 2063. As Africa’s security landscape has evolved and the nature of conflict has changed, the narrative surrounding youth has often been a negative one framing youth either as threats to peace and stability or as victims lacking agency. A more nuanced and complete understanding is needed to inform effective policies that engage youth in peacebuilding in Africa as well as tap into ongoing peace efforts and innovations by youth.

This conference will take stock of key questions, gaps, challenges, and opportunities regarding youth and peacebuilding in Africa. The conference will also share lessons learned, best practices, and policy options from policymakers, experts, and practitioners on transforming and advancing the agenda for youth and peacebuilding in Africa.

We hope that you will join us for these in-depth, forward-leaning discussions involving leaders from 22 African organizations working on peacebuilding in Africa. Please plan to arrive 15-20 minutes before the start of each session.

(Article continued in right column)

 

Question related to this article.

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

(Article continued from left column)

Day 1: Tuesday, July 16
[15, Avenue Jean Mermoz, Cocody, Abidjan, ]

8:45 am-10:00 am – Keynote: Youth and Peacebuilding in Africa: Challenges, Gaps, and Opportunities
 
10:30 am-12:00 pm – Assessing the African and International Peacebuilding Architecture: Where and How Do Youth Fit In
 
1:30 pm-3:00pm – Building a Culture of Peace: Educating Youth for Peace
 
3:30 pm-5:00 pm –Youth Unemployment and Peacebuilding in Africa
 
Day 2: Wednesday, July 17
8:45 am-10:00 am – Youth, Gender, and Peacebuilding in Africa
 
10:30 am-12:00 pm – Policy Perspectives on Youth and Peacebuilding in Africa
 
1:30 pm-3:00pm –Youth as Innovators in Peacebuilding: Dialogue with the Next Generation of African Peacebuilders
 
3:30 pm-5:00 pm – Looking Ahead: The Future of Youth and Peacebuilding in Africa
 
About the Southern Voices Network for Peacebuilding:
This conference is held as part of the Wilson Center’s Southern Voices Network for Peacebuilding (SVNP). The SVNP is a continent-wide network of African policy and research organizations that works with the Wilson Center’s Africa Program to bring African knowledge and perspectives to U.S. policy on peacebuilding in Africa. Established in 2011 and supported by the generous financial support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the project provides avenues for African researchers and practitioners to engage with, and exchange analyses and perspectives with U.S., African, and international policymakers in order to develop the most appropriate, cohesive, and inclusive policy frameworks and approaches to achieving sustainable peace and state-building in Africa.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

PAYNCoP Gabon learns about the culture of peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang, National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon.

The National Coordination of the Panafrican Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) took part, on Saturday, June 15, 2019, in a capacity-building workshop on the concept of “culture of peace” organized by the bureau of UNESCO in Gabon representing the United Nations.


Photo © PAYNCoP Gabon

The activity brings together several organizations working for the culture of peace in Gabon including the Panafrican Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, the Pan-African Network of Women for Culture of peace and sustainable development, women of the press for the culture of peace, Unesco clubs, etc.

For the organizers, the aim of this workshop was to provide the civil society organizations with a better understanding of the concept of “culture of peace” and tools for the implementation of activities related to this concept.

In his introduction, Mr. Fazzino, the Representative of UNESCO, welcomed the participation of the various organizations before recalling the goals of this workshop. It will be first to show how the culture of peace contributes to the objectives of sustainable development and how to take action through projects that can be financed. He provided guidance on how to seek funding.

(Article continued in right column)

( Click here for the French original..)

 

Question related to this article.

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

(Article continued from left column)

The first paper, moderated by Dr. Joris Tindy Poaty, PhD in philosophy and expert at UNESCO, focused on the origins of the concept of “culture of peace”, its definition and the international instruments related to this concept. The term was used for the first time at a congress in Yamoussoukro in 1989, while the culture of peace has its source in the constitutive act of the United Nations organization whose mission is to build a peaceful world, he recalled. A full definition of the culture of peace may be found in UN Resolution 52/13 of 15 January 1998.

UN resolutions relating the culture of peace include resolutions 1325 (women, peace and security), 2250 (youth, peace and security), 2419 as well as UNESCO’s recommendation on education for understanding, cooperation and international peace. Other important instruments that contribute to the culture of peace include the Seville Manifesto and the Manifesto 2000.

Participants also received a communication describing the process of project development. It was facilitated by an expert from the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (Unoca). From planning to evaluation, to the implementation of a project, all stages were explained to the participants in order to better equip them in project writing.

Noémie Dalle, a trainee at UNESCO, spoke about funding opportunities for projects related to the culture of peace. She reviewed funding opportunities in UNESCO, the United Nations system and other donors.

For the participants, this workshop responds to several concerns. “We are coming out with common language elements in terms of the culture of peace, but also the appropriate approach to project writing and especially the funding opportunities to launch projects on the ground” concluded Jerry Bibang, the Coordinator of PAYNCoP National Gabon.
 

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Celebrating arrests, but still pushing for change, protesters rally in Algeria

…. HUMAN RIGHTS ….

An article by Ulf Laessing in Reuters

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the Algerian capital for the 17th consecutive Friday, demanding the removal of the ruling elite and prosecution of former officials linked to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.


Demonstrators carry banners and flags during a protest demanding the removal of the ruling elite and prosecution of former officials linked to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in Algiers, Algeria June 14, 2019. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina
(click on image to enlarge)

After 20 years in power, Bouteflika quit on April 2 under pressure from protesters and the army, but protests have continued.

The demonstrators are pushing for radical change and seeking the departure of senior figures, including politicians and businessmen, who have governed the North African country since independence from France in 1962.

There was no official count, but a Reuters correspondent estimated that the number of people protesting was higher than last Friday. It was still smaller than in the weeks before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in May, however.

At this week’s rally they celebrated the arrest of several former officials and business people linked to Bouteflika on anti-graft charges, demanding more action.

(Article continued in the right column)

Questions related to this article:

How effective are mass protest marches?

(Article continued from the left column)

“You have built prisons, you will be imprisoned there all,” read one banner held up by protesters marching through central Algiers, scene of mass dissent since February.

On Thursday, the supreme court remanded ex-prime minister Abdelmalek Sellal in custody over graft allegations.

State media also said police had arrested Mourad Eulmi, head of the private firm SOVAC, a partner of Germany’s Volkswagen AG, at a car assembly plant in the western province of Relizane in connection with “corruption cases”. It did not elaborate. Volkswagen declined to comment.

On Wednesday, the supreme court ordered the detention of another former prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, for alleged involvement in corruption.

Bouteflika’s youngest brother, Said, and two former intelligence chiefs have also been placed in custody by a military judge for “harming the army’s authority and plotting against state authority”.

Protesters rejected an offer from interim President Abdelkader Bensalah to hold a dialogue with all parties after authorities postponed a presidential election previously planned for July 4. No new date has been set for the vote.

“We need real dialogue”, read one protest banner. Protesters have rejected Bensalah as too close to Bouteflika.

Armed forces chief Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah, who has been managing the transition, has called on parties and protesters to meet among themselves to discuss a way out of the crisis.

He also called for the prosecution of officials accused of being corrupt, after which the wave of arrests started.

Africa, HUMAN RIGHTS, Mideast,

Agroecology and peasant agriculture to preserve biodiversity

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from AVSF, Agronomes & Vétérinaires Sans Frontières

On May 6, 2019, in its report on biodiversity, the IPBES [Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services] alerted us about the short-term threat of extinction of nearly 1 million animal and plant species. Agricultural and livestock farming are partly responsible for this disaster, while agroecology and peasant agriculture represent an urgent alternative to preserve biodiversity.

In 2017, we warned of the worrying erosion of agricultural biodiversity: 75% of edible varieties have disappeared in 100 years (FAO). The bulk of human nutrition is based on only 12 plant species and 14 animal species! In the past 10 years, at least one domestic animal breed has disappeared each month (and its genetic characteristics with it), and 20% of the world’s cattle, goats, swine, equine and poultry breeds are at risk of extinction. At cause: the promotion of a productivist agriculture with high capital investment and synthetic inputs, looking for very high yields in the short term. Agroecology under peasant farming conditions is a solution: it relies on agricultural biodiversity, values ​​it while protecting it, and in doing so contributes to the maintenance of biodiversity as a whole.

Agricultural biodiversity is a part of biodiversity that, through agricultural production, contributes to the food of populations as well as the preservation of ecosystems. It is particularly important for maintaining the productivity and resilience of cropping and farming systems in precarious and vulnerable environments. It is this great diversity of plant species and animal breeds adapted to the local environment that guarantees the survival of many peasants from Africa, Asia or Latin America on their farms and pastures, even in difficult climatic conditions and on fragile soils.

In countries of the southern hemisphere, initiatives have multiplied in recent years to upgrade local species and sustainably preserve agricultural biodiversity. These initiatives, often developed at the family farm level, have highlighted the close relationship between food security and biodiversity.

(Continued on right side of page)

(Click here for the original French version.)

Question for this article:

What is the relation between movements for food sovereignty and the global movement for a culture of peace?

(Article continued from left side of page)

Two projects that preserve agricultural biodiversity

In the north of Haiti, small producers are processing quality cocoa, made from old varieties, criollo and trinitario, typical of the Caribbean. Renowned for their finesse and powerful aromas, these beans are mainly intended for high-end chocolate, like the criollo which represents only 5% of world production, and is therefore a sought-after variety. Although chocolatiers are highly demanding, these beans have so far been poorly valued on the world market. Why ? Because these Haitian beans were not fermented, a primordial step that releases the “precursors” of aromas. AVSF has therefore trained producers of FECCANO farmers’ cooperatives in the fermentation techniques of these ancient varieties. Several fermentation, collection and packaging centers were installed for the producers of the 8 cooperatives. A cocoa that is today highly paid on the organic, fair and quality markets in Europe, for the benefit of both producers and biodiversity: grown in the heart of woodland gardens in association with many shade and fruit trees and other crops , cocoa plays an important role not only in food security, but also in maintaining fertility and biodiversity in general.

Throughout West Africa, peasant farming is characterized by the diversity of livestock breeds that it values. These breeds have exceptional adaptive capacities that have earned their durability, as well as resistance to certain parasitic diseases, such as trypanosomiasis, transmitted by tsetse fly and endemic throughout the region. Nowadays, this sustainability is threatened by the disturbing erosion of the diversity of local breeds, increasingly squeezed by introduced breeds for their higher productivity in milk and meat.

In Senegal, AVSF is supporting breeders’ organizations to improve the value of endemic ruminant livestock (the Ndama breed for example) and to demonstrate its competitiveness both in the markets and for the resilience of populations in the face of climatic or economic shocks. This breed is of small size, with good fecundity. Its speed of growth and its satisfactory qualities confer to it undeniable butchery qualities. This valorization is done through the organization of competitions, exhibitions and fairs specific to these species and races.

Through its numerous projects, AVSF has been working with farmers in the South for 40 years to preserve and reclaim agricultural and animal biodiversity and thus ensure their food security and that of the urban populations they feed.

DISCOVER OTHER ACTIONS

Read our background file

(Thank you to Kiki Chauvin, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Africa, Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,

PAYNCoP Gabon organizes a conference on the challenges of building peace in Africa

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang, Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon (translation by CPNN)

As part of the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the death of President Omar Bongo Ondimba, the National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for Peace Culture (PAYNCoP Gabon) organized, on Saturday, June 8, at the House of the United Nations, a conference on the theme: “The new challenges of building peace in Africa.”


(click on image to enlarge)

The meeting which brought together mainly the leaders of youth organizations was punctuated by three communications. The first, led by Jerry Bibang, National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, focused on youth involvement in peace and security issues.

According to the speaker, young people are the most important age group in Africa and Gabon. As a result, they are the main artisans and victims of conflicts and wars. Therefore, it is important for them to be involved at all levels in peace and security issues. For the Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, it is simply a question of implementing Resolution 2250, adopted since 2015 by the United Nations Security Council. This resolution recommends that states involve young people at all levels in matters of peace and security, particularly during prevention, mediation, conflict resolution and post-conflict activities. The involvement of young people is one of the challenges in peacebuilding, concluded the National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon.

(click here for the French version)

Question for this article:

.

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

For Dr. Jean Delors Biyoghe, the new challenges of peace-building are many and varied. They can be summed up in the good faith of mediators, the fragility of the states, the problem of bad governance, the securisation of cyber-space and many others.
 
Indeed, according to this political scientist, the actors in charge of mediations often have a conflict of interest when resolving crises or conflicts. How can you convince a Head of State to leave power peacefully and democratically if you yourself are undemocratic? the speaker asked. The obsolescence of conflict resolution strategies is also one of the challenges. Instead of building peace, we are witnessing the imposition of peace, the speaker noted. This is the case, for example, in Mali and the Central African Republic.

In addition, the rise of multinationals, coupled with the proliferation of fragile states, is another challenge to peacebuilding. According to the speaker, building peace requires that the social and economic needs of citizens are met. We can not really build peace if the vital needs of the people remain dissatisfied.

The third communication, provided by Theophane Nzame-Biyoghe, focused on the political and diplomatic action of Omar Bongo Ondimba as a champion of peace. The speaker reviewed the various crises and conflicts resolved by the former Head of State, particularly in Angola, the Central African Republic and the Congo … a commitment to peace that has earned him several international awards including the prize “Golden Laurel of Peace”, awarded by the International Peace Trophies Jury, the MANAHAE Peace Prize, awarded by South Korea in recognition of these efforts for the restoration of stability and the resolution of armed conflicts in the Central African subregion. For Theophane Nzame, Omar Bongo Ondimba leaves a legacy that all Gabonese should appropriate, even if peace remains an ideal in perpetual construction.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

PAYNCoP Gabon Advocates for Youth Involvement in Peace and Security Issues

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Sent to CPNN by Jerry Bibang, coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon (translation by CPNN)

The National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) recently met with a UN delegation, sent by the UN Secretary-General, as part of the strategic review of the UN Regional Office for Peace in Central Africa (UNOCA).

The multidisciplinary team, led by the former Special Representative of the SG of the United Nations, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, came to assess the work done by UNOCA in the sub-region. Among several civil society organizations invited to take part in the assessment, the National Coordinator of the Panafrican Youth Network for Peace Culture took advantage of the opportunity to advocate for youth involvement in peace and security issues.

(Article continued in right column)

( Click here for the French original..)

 

Question related to this article.

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

(Article continued from left column)

For Jerry Bibang, youth is the largest and most important social category in the subregion and in the world. Young people are therefore the main artisans and the victims of conflicts and wars. It is therefore necessary to involve these young people, at all levels of process in issues of peace and security, particularly in prevention, mediation, post-conflict activities, etc.

According to the National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, it is simply a question of implementing Resolution 2250 (youth, peace and security) in accordance with the recommendations of the UN Security Council. Also, the first person in charge of PAYNCoP Gabon invited the UN team to support activities and projects related to the prevention and promotion of the culture of peace. Despite our commitment, our goodwill and our ideas, if we are not supported, our action will remain limited, he said.

The problem of legal recognition of civil society organizations was also highlighted. All the organizations present, in particular, the women’s press network for peace, the Gabon Group Resolution 1325 platform, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDDH-Gabon), the NGO Brainforest and PAYNCoP Gabon unanimously acknowledged that the difficulty of obtaining legal recognition is an obstacle to the mobilization of funds for associations and NGOs. Hence they requested advocacy with the government to make efforts on this issue.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Luanda Biennale: Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Luanda Biennale: Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace

An article from UNESCO

In Africa, the concept of the Culture of Peace is enriched by the values, belief systems, traditions, and cultural and artistic forms of expression that contribute to the respect of human rights, cultural diversity, solidarity and the rejection of violence to build democratic societies. The Biennale for the Culture of Peace draws from Pan-African Forum “Sources and Resources for a Culture of Peace” held in Luanda, Angola, in 2013, and aims to expand and sustain the Pan-African Movement for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence. 

The first edition of the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace, Biennale of Luanda, will be held in the Angolan capital from 18 to 22 September 2019.
This continental initiative is intended to serve as: 
A global platform for the promotion of cultural diversity and African unity;

A venue of international and intra-African cultural exchanges;

A special meeting that brings together – every two years – actors and partners of a Pan-African movement for the prevention of violence and conflict, and the consolidation of peace;

An opportunity to build sustainable partnerships between governments, civil society, the private sector, the artistic and scientific community, academic institutions, and international organizations. 
(Continued in right column)

(Click here for a French version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

(Continued from left column)

The Biennale also aims to give a voice to African women and young people and to facilitate the launch of public awareness campaigns as part of the World Day of Peace (21 September). 

The Biennale is organized around four main axes:
Forum of Ideas and Youth Forum: two platforms of reflection on the future of Africa, focusing on the dissemination of good practices and solutions for the prevention of crises, and the resolution and attenuation of conflicts;

Festival of Cultures: promotion of cultural diversity and resilience capacity to conflicts and violence in African countries and the Diaspora;

Cultures and Sports Alliance for Peace: gathering of international cultural, sport and music events for peace advocacy; 


Partners’ Alliance for the Culture of Peace in Africa: encouraging the mobilization of resources and partners to support the Biennale and developing on a larger scale projects and initiatives that have proven successful on the African continent. 
 
THE BIENNALE OF LUANDA IN FEW WORDS…

An African encounter for peace:
A platform for promoting cultural diversity and African unity

A place conducive to international and intra-African cultural exchanges

A special meeting that brings together actors and partners of a Pan-African movement for the culture of peace:

Governments;
Civil society;
Artistic and scientific community;
Private sector;
International organizations.
5 days every two years in Luanda, capital of Angola, around four poles:
Forum of ideas / Youth Forum 

Festival of cultures

Cultures and Sports Alliance

Partners’ Alliance

Edition 2019: 18 – 22 September (see Provisional Programme)

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

PAYNCOP Gabon Presents its Roadmap to the President of the National Assembly

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Special to CPNN from Jerry Bibang

The National Coordination of the Panafrican Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) recently presented its roadmap to the President of the National Assembly of Gabon.

On the occasion of a hearing granted by Faustin Boukoubi, the President of the institution, the PAYNCoP Gabon presented its vision and the next activities in the framework of the promotion of the culture of peace.

During the meeting, Bautrin Ekouma, the Deputy National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon introduced the group before giving the floor to Kevin Pango, the Institution Relations Officer, who reviewed the network’s missions, which essentially boil down to promoting the culture of peace. This involves dialogue, non-violence, living together, social justice, democracy, etc.

(Article continued in right column)

( Click here for the French original..)

 

Question related to this article.

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

(Article continued from left column)

According to the national coordination of PAYNCop Gabon, the roadmap Johanie Mayinou, the Legal Affairs Officer, gave a presentation on the Strategic Action Plan, which focuses on four areas, namely the popularization of PAYNCoP, the promotion of the culture of peace, the popularization of UN Resolution 2250 and empowerment of the youth economy.
 
According to Jerry Bibang, National Coordinator of PAYNCoP Gabon, the implementation of this Action Plan requires the involvement of all: government, institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, journalists, political parties, religious denominations, citizens … Everyone must play his part because we all need to live in peace. Today’s meeting is part of this inclusive approach. “The goal is to encourage the commitment of the National Assembly to promote the culture of peace,” he added.

For Faustin Boukoubi, the President of the National Assembly, the youth approach is commendable because it responds to the vital need of peace. Without peace, no development is possible. He encouraged the PAYNCoP Gabon to promote the culture of peace, and promised the accompaniment of the institution he leads to the extent of available resources.

The Speaker of the National Assembly also invited the Panafrican Youth Network for Peace Culture to collaborate with other youth organizations for greater synergy and social impact.

The meeting with the President of the National Assembly follows meetings with the Director General of Gabon Première (the first national television channel) which had also given its agreement in principle to accompany PAYNCoP Gabon in its missions.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

The Elders welcome Ethiopia’s commitment to primary health care and digital innovation

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from The Elders

The Elders met Ethiopia’s State Minister of Health, Dr. Lia Tadesse, on 20 May 2019 to learn more about the country’s efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage. They also visited the Feres Meda health centre in Addis Ababa to meet patients and hold discussions with Health Extension Workers.


Graça Machel and Ricardo Lagos, with Nane Annan and Health Extension Workers at Feres Meda health centre, Addis Ababa, May 2019.

The delegation applauded Ethiopia’s focus on primary health care as the most effective way of providing essential services to poor and vulnerable populations including women and children. They discussed with the State Minister the need for the health budget to be increased for Ethiopia to move further towards Universal Health Coverage.

They also took the occasion of the visit to welcome the launch in Ethiopia of the Community Health Academy programme pioneered by global health NGO Last Mile Health.

(Article continued in the column on the right)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

The new Community Health Academy programme is partnering with Ministries of Health across the world, to help frontline health workers use digital technology to improve their clinical skills and the overall capacity of health systems. The online community health leadership course  of the Academy, co-created by Ethiopia and other countries, launched last week and has already enrolled over 3,700 learners in more than 150 countries.

Graça Machel, Deputy Chair of The Elders and former Education Minister of Mozambique, said:

“Health is a human right, and health workers are human rights champions. I applaud the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to delivering free primary care services at a community level, and urge them to commit further public funds to the health budget to reach this goal. At the same time, I welcome Last Mile Health’s support as an inclusive model of innovation and partnership which I’m sure will yield impressive results in the future.”

The Elders believe that community health workers can play a critical role in helping countries reach UHC and help all people access the healthcare they need without facing financial hardship. They recognised that Ethiopia’s Health Extension Worker programme is a positive example for other countries to follow.

Ricardo Lagos, Elder and former President of Chile, added:

“Community health workers are on the frontline of providing essential services to poor and vulnerable patients in Ethiopia. It was inspiring to see their tireless work in challenging circumstances, and to hear their hopes and plans for the future. The Community Health Academy partnership offers a great opportunity to share digital innovations for health workforce capacity building with these grassroots actors and the health systems leaders who support them.”

The Elders are holding their biannual board meeting in Addis Ababa from 19-22 May.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION