Tag Archives: Africa

Ghana: WANEP builds capacity of front line Peace Actors

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article by Prosper K. Kuorsoh for the Ghana News Agency

Northern Ghana, needs a certain culture of peace in order to derive maximum gains from the numerous agriculture interventions being implemented in the area. Creating this enabling environment would require strengthening the peace-building mechanisms and structures which, would lead to the adoption of meaningful and acceptable procedures to control and manage land and other natural resources and their related grievances.

Mr. Albert Yelyang, National Network Coordinator for WANEP-Ghana said this when he addressed participants during the opening of a two-day training for front line peace actors in Wa.

He noted that addressing these gaps in agriculture would require improving governance in the sector which also would imply enabling a more peaceful environment for the successful implementation of agriculture/wealth creation projects in Northern Ghana

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Question for this article:

What is the relation between the environment and peace?

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For this reason, the West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP-Ghana) is building the capacities of local front line peace actors across the Northern, Upper East and the Upper West Regions for them to help create the enabling environment for a successful implementation of the Northern Ghana Governance Activity (NGGA) and its sister interventions as well as the government flagship agriculture projects

He explained that the NGGA was born out of the realisation that in order to increase income and wealth through agriculture in Northern Ghana, there was the need to address some of the challenges and gaps in the sector.

The training brought together traditional authorities and institutions, civic institutions, faith based groups, civil society, departmental heads, Regional and District Security Committees and the media.

It was on the theme: “Understanding the Operations of the Updated WANEP-Ghana’s Early Warning and Response System for Dialogue and Mediation, and Natural Resource and Conflict
Management”.

The NGGA is a five-year USAID funded agriculture project being implemented by a consortium of NGOs led by Care International in Ghana and partnered by ActionAid Ghana, SEND-Ghana and WANEP-Ghana.

Africa, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Mandela’s vision for a better world

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A press release from The Elders

The Elders, an international group of ex-world leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, releases a short documentary celebrating their ten years of work across the globe.

• The film features never-before seen footage of Nelson Mandela, President Carter and Richard Branson meeting in 2007 to set the agenda of their work.

• The film’s launch coincides with both Nelson Mandela’s birthday and International Nelson Mandela Day.


Film: Mandela’s Vision for a Better World

Tuesday 18th July 2017 marks a significant milestone for The Elders as they celebrate ten years since Nelson Mandela founded the group, brought together for peace, justice and human rights. The group will gather in Cape Town to celebrate a decade of accomplishments with a screening of the documentary, and to launch their latest campaign, Walk Together; which aims to show solidarity with those who are most downtrodden and vulnerable in today’s world.

“We have nothing to lose, we have our careers behind us. So we should be free to raise our voices and steer people in the right direction.” –Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Laureate

The film begins with footage from The Elders’ first meeting in 2007, and includes unseen footage of Nelson Mandela with accompanying interviews from President and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jimmy Carter; Co-Founder of The Elders, Graça Machel; and first female President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.

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Question related to this article:
 
Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

What is the legacy of Nelson Mandela for us today?

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The documentary celebrates their work across the world, providing insight into the delicate negotiations that have gone on to address conflicts and geopolitical tensions in Iran, the Korean Peninsula, Cyprus and Israel/Palestine, and the group’s public advocacy on issues such as climate change, child marriage, equality for girls and women, and refugees and migration.

“We have all come a long way in the past decade, but our long walk to freedom, following in Madiba’s footsteps, will continue.” –Graça Machel

The Elders invite all viewers and supporters to join the Walk Together campaign to continue Nelson Mandela’s walk to freedom and tackle faultlines of division. We encourage you to share the video via Facebook or Twitter, or to feature the video on your website to help The Elders celebrate the achievements of the past decade and to continue to give the citizens of our world hope for the next ten years.

About The Elders

The Elders are independent leaders using their collective experience and influence for peace, justice and human rights worldwide. The group was founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007.

The Elders are Martti Ahtisaari, Kofi Annan (Chair), Ban Ki-moon, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland (Deputy Chair), Hina Jilani, Ricardo Lagos, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson and Ernesto Zedillo.

Ela Bhatt, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu are Elders Emeritus.

Find out more

For biographies of the Elders, blogs, photos, videos and more information about their work please go to www.theElders.org.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article)

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Gambian Youth Engage in the Promotion of Peace, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

An article from Webwire

From 3 to 8 July 2017, within the framework of the UNESCO Participation Programme, the Gambian National Commission for UNESCO, in partnership with UNESCO and UNFPA, gathered more than 200 young people from all regions of the country and their teachers, for a weeklong training at the Independence Stadium, Bakau, The Gambia. Students and their teachers learned how to promote fundamental values of peaceful co-existence, and better understand the concepts of Global Citizenship, Sustainable Development and Peacebuilding. At the end of the event, the participants adopted a Declaration calling youth organizations and national authorities for actions in favour of the integration of Global Citizenship Education and Education for Sustainable Education into the education system, the development of education and entrepreneurship programmes and the participation of community-based youth organization to decision-making processes.


Group Work during the Youth/Students Engagement to Foster Global Citizenship, Sustainable Development Initiatives and Peace Building in The Gambia Workshop ( Press Release Image: http://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/6/210972/210972-1.jpg )

After 22 years of autocratic rule and with 58% of the population under 25 years of age in the Gambia, young women and men are major agents of political change. “Young people are engine of growth, as they constitute the labour force of the Gambia. The peace and development of this country is in the hands of young people” emphasized Mr. Kunle Adeniji, head of the UNFPA Gambia Office. They have a very important role to play to ensure sustainable and peaceful development in the country.

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Question related to this article:

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

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“Today, more than ever, it is important to raise awareness on the role that Gambian youth can play to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Their active participation is fundamental to the achievement of a peaceful and sustainable development and a proper management of issues related to education and skills, illegal migration, rise in crime rates, and climate change”, explained Hadjan Doucouré, Coordination officer of the Banjul Liaison Desk of the UNESCO Dakar Office.

This 6-days workshop aimed at empowering the Gambian youth from ASPNet, UNESCO Clubs Networks and Youth Organizations by providing them with the necessary life skills, and introducing them to the concepts of Global Citizenship and Sustainable development.

During the first 3 days, participants were introduced to SDG 16 which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, and SDG 4 which calls on countries to ensure that all learners are provided with the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. SDG Target 4.7 particularly stipulates: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

To encourage the participants to engage their communities, families and friends through innovative way and contribute to socio-economic transformation of their communities, the organizers devoted 2 days of training to the development of entrepreneurial skills and creative thinking.

The 6-day event concluded with one-day sports competition supported by the Youth Empowerment though Education and Sports Foundation.

Africa, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Central African Republic: peace agreement reached at Sant’Egidio

. DISARMAMENT & SECURITY.

An article by Jules Crétois in Jeune Afrique

In Rome, the Central African armed groups gathered with representatives of the institutions of the CAR and MINUSCA to sign an agreement for peace. Some appreciate the agreement, others less …

All the Central African armed groups – fourteen in total – gathered in Rome on the initiative of the Catholic community of Sant’Egidio, except for the 3R (“Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation”), for logistical reasons. Their representatives, most of whom arrived from Yaounde, Cameroon, have been discussing since 15 June, in the presence of representatives of the Government, the National Assembly and the Presidency and a representative of the United Nations. . . . (continued here.


Photo from Saint Egidio
* * * * * * *

Further Information from the website of Sant’Egidio

This afternoon [June 20] was signed in Rome, Sant’Egidio, an important “political agreement” paving the way for the pacification of Central Africa, plagued by years of civil war and grave internal tensions that have caused many victims and thousands of refugees. The document, which foresees an immediate ceasefire, was achieved through the mediation of the Community of Sant’Egidio, that for years has been working for the reconciliation of the country, with the presence of observers from the international community, of the UN envoy Parfait Onanga -Anyanga, the European Union and the Italian Government.

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

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The agreement, signed by representatives of the numerous political-military groups present in the country and by President Touadera’s envoys-and resulting from three intense working days (and nights), revolves around three main points, which were illustrated at a press conference by the President of the Community of Sant’Egidio, Marco Impagliazzo. The points deal with the political situation, with security and with economic, humanitarian and social issues. In the first point, in addition to the ceasefire under the control of the international community, they reaffirm the will to respect the integrity of the national territory, the representativeness and the recognition of all political-military groups for the reconstruction of the country, the respect for the results of the 2016 presidential and legislative elections and, more generally, the work to build “a dynamic of reconciliation”.

Security is ensured by the free movement of persons and property, the restoration of state authority throughout the country, while at the economic, humanitarian and social level they are committed, inter alia, to the reconstruction and In the protection of national and international NGOs present in the country.

It is a real road map to get out of the crisis. It will be followed by a joint committee chosen with the consent of all and the participation of the Community of Sant’Egidio, that is thanked in the text of the agreement for its precious ” Mediation work “.

At the time of signing, among the moments of emotion and the solemn singing of the national anthem was also present the founder of Sant’Egidio Andrea Riccardi. The meeting of Rome was greeted on Sunday by Angelus by Pope Francis who recalled his historic visit to Central Africa in November 2015 and who encouraged the delegations present at the talks to “revive and strengthen the peace process”.

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Togo: Literary contest appeals to African youth for a culture of peace

. DISARMAMENT & SECURITY.

An article from Togo Top Infos (translated by CPNN)

From 21 to 25 August, Lomé will host the second African Peace Conference. For the occasion of this meeting, a literary contest has been announced for the youth of the 55 countries of Africa.

The objective of this competition, according to the organizers, is to make young people aware of their share of responsibility in promoting peace in Africa. Young people are invited to give their opinions through personal literary compositions. To apply, each young person must propose a composition of 4 to 5 pages, which must be submitted to the Permanent Secretariat of the First African Peace Conference. The 100 best compositions will be awarded prizes ranging from 500,000 to 2,000,000 CFA francs [870 to 3480 US dollars].


(Click on image to enlarge)

According to the General Coordinator of the Secretariat of the First African Peace Conference, Goupouguini Lamboni, “it is up to young people to go in search of peace from an early age. Wars are born in the minds of people, it is in the minds of people that we must fight them.” This is how the organizers of the competition intend to lead their struggle for peace in Africa.

For more information on the competition, go to www.paap-fapc.org. The second African peace conference is under the theme “Young people in search of peace in Africa”.

Click here for the French version of this article.

Click here for the English version of the Conference press release.

Question related to this article:
Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Togolese Republic to host “Second African Peace Conference”

. DISARMAMENT & SECURITY.

Press release by the Conference organizers

The Togolese Republic will be hosting from 21 to 25 August 2017 the ‘’Deuxièmes Assises Africaines de la Paix’’ hereinafter referred to in English as ‘’Second African Peace Conference’’ which has as its main theme “The youth in search of peace in Africa”.

Africa is still faced with the challenges of peace, security and stability. However, the determined efforts of our countries and the African Union to ensure the socio-economic recovery or even the development of the continent have been seriously drained by the scourge of armed conflicts.

This big event will be a privileged Forum for the youth not only to debate on the alarming situation of the continent : bloody wars, conflicts and centers of tension at the 3rd millennium but also to propose concrete solutions which will reinforce the ceaseless efforts displayed by the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the African Union.

This conference will also mark the end of four years of research devoted to the development of an action plan on the education of the culture of peace. This peace is one of the main concerns of the African youths, because without this, no economic or social development is attainable.

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

Question related to this article:

Pan-African initiatives for peace: Are they advancing?

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[Note: African youth are invited by the conference to submit literary compositions promoting peace in Africa. See article here.]

At the end of this conference, the final document : THE LOMÉ PLAN OF ACTION in which will be found concrete actions in favour of peace, will be adopted and submit to the African Heads of State and Government for their appreciation at the thirty second ordinary Summit of the Assembly of the African Union so that peaceful and lasting solutions could be found for conflicts and wars in Africa.

For further information, please contact :

SECOND AFRICAN PEACE CONFERENCE

Organizing Committee

233, Rue Doufouli **Villa Tsowou Abalo N°77

01 Boîte Postale 4950 Lomé – Togo

Tel : (228) 22.37.07.22 ; 22.35.19.15 ; 90.45.11.42 ; 97.97.39.91 Fax : (228) 22.21.26.37

E-mail : secretariat@paap-fapc.org ; paapgkl@gmail.com ; paapgkl@yahoo.fr

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Nigeria: Plateau To Tackle Boko Haram With Peace Education

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Concise News

The Government of Plateau has introduced peace education in primary and secondary schools to forestall the resurgence of Boko Haram and tackle the menace of radicalism among children and youths.


Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong   Photo: ScanNews

Deputy governor of the state, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the state had paid dearly for violent conflicts.

Tyoden attended the 2017 Education Solutions International Conference in New York and delivered a keynote address on ‘SDGs-4: Character and Leadership Education in 2030 Development Agenda’.

He said Plateau would become the first and only state in Nigeria to have introduced peace education in its primary and secondary schools curricula.

”As a society emerging from the throes of violent conflict, so much is required in terms of functional and collaborative partnership with the global community to develop the educational sector.

”However, the current situation where peace education is only taught at tertiary levels may not be the best approach as far as the quest for the de-radicalisation of young minds is concerned,” he said.

To ensure its success, Tyoden said the state is willing to build strategic partnership with relevant stakeholders. The stakeholders, according to him, are the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and other International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs).

He also said the state would partner with donor agencies to tackle the problems of negative social indoctrination, as well as other challenges facing our education sector.

[Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article, and to the Global Campaign for Peace Education for calling this article to our attention]

Question for this article:
Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Uganda has benefited from peace journalism

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An article by Gloria Laker Aciro for D+C /E+Z D+C Development and Cooperation

Uganda has a history of conflict and violence. In particular, the strife caused by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda from 1995 to 2004 made peace efforts necessary. At the time, a strong foundation for peace journalism was laid. Its principles are of lasting relevance in view of unrest in border regions and the refugee population which is growing due to civil war in neighbouring countries.


Peace journalists from Uganda and South Sudan

After years of failed military interventions and series of futile peace talks, the Ugandan army opted for peace journalism in order to try to reach out to LRA insurgents. In 1998, the first peace radio was established in Gulu, a town in northern Uganda. It was called Radio Freedom. The army used it to communicate not only with displaced people, but even the rebels, inspiring hope among child soldiers that demobilisation might be possible.

After the media highlighted atrocities collectively, international attention turned to the LRA conflict. Donor agencies started to consider radio programming and professional media work as a way to promote peace and later to reduce tensions in the post-conflict situation.

Important principles of peace journalism are to avoid hate speech and involve voices from all sides of a conflict. Balance, fairness and factual accuracy matter very much. The idea is to convey an understanding of a conflict’s reasons, history and possible non-violent solutions rather than to fan the flames. Attention must be paid not only to acts of violence, which are easy to report, but also to longer term developments in society, which are harder to cover.

Effective peace reporting does more than merely report events. It puts them in context, by engaging communities. Various approaches matter, including social media, local discussions and drama performances. They all serve to enhance the news reporting, talk shows and public service announcements.

Successful approaches

From 1999 to 2002, Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) fully backed the use of persuasive radio programmes to urge rebels to abandon fighting. DFID funded the establishment of Mega FM radio in Gulu. The station went on air in August 2002, covering parts of Uganda as well as of southern Sudan and eastern DR Congo. It broadcasts general information on conflict and development as well as specific items geared to conflict resolution and promoting the peace process in the region.

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Question(s) related to this article:

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

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In a surprising innovation, Ogena Lacambel, the host of Mega FM’s flagship programme Dwog Paco (which means “come back home” in Luo), invited former child soldiers to share their stories on radio. They were assured free passage. Today, Mega FM still has several peace-building programmes including Kabake (“community dialogue”) and Teyat (“stakeholders’ debate”). Open dialogue and call-ins with community members and rebel LRA soldiers have contributed to several abducted children returning home.

Over 22,000 child soldiers and commanders responded to the appeal and abandoned the rebellion, significantly weakening the LRA. In short, the LRA conflict could only be ended after the intervention of peace journalism.

Today, the LRA has retreated into the Central African Republic. The Ugandan army is still using the come-back-home radio format, as Innocent Aloyo, host of Mega FM’s Kabake programme, reports. The host is flown into the CAR to interview child soldiers there.

Since the LRA was defeated in Uganda, local community radio stations have been reaching out to the public through peace reporting with a focus on development. The next crucial step is for media houses to adopt in-house policies and guidelines. Many radio hosts in rural areas are not aware of what peace journalism requires, and even some who are aware have proven unable to handle people who call in by phone to incite hatred.

International agencies that promote media development such as Internews and DW Akademie have trained hundreds of local journalists in peace reporting. The impact of trainees on the peace process has been assessed. A number of community radios were set up with a commitment to peace journalism and are still active today.

Today, the sensitive issue in Uganda is reporting about refugees. Even though the country hosts thousands of refugees, the matter is under-reported. The point of view of the refugees is rarely included. When Chris Obore, a well-known journalist, highlighted the plight of a Burundian refugee girl, his reporting changed the girl’s life for the better.

Peace journalism must give marginalised people a voice. Moreover, these efforts must transcend national borders. Since refugees from South Sudan, the DRC and other countries live in Uganda, conflicts spread to the border region.

It therefore makes sense for Ugandan and South Sudanese journalists to cooperate on covering refugee issues. Speak FM, a small community radio in Gulu, is doing just that. Station manager Jane Angom says that “exiled South Sudanese journalists contribute important information about the refugee community in northern Uganda, which our radio otherwise would not be able to access”. Language matters, after all.

In 2005, the media were a key player in the Juba peace talks that led to the signing of a cessation of violence and hostilities agreement (CPA) in South Sudan. Traditional leaders who were active in the peace and reconciliation efforts point out that peace journalism as a tool was “useful in mobilising people and reaching out to rebels”.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Peace Brigades International is recruiting field volunteers for Kenya

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An email from Peace Brigades International (PBI)

As you know, volunteers are the heart of PBI’s work. Canadians in the field act as our witnesses, voices, and peacekeepers. They deter violence against human rights defenders, advocate with our diplomats and government, and show the world that Canadians like you and I are watching and prepared to act when defenders are in danger.

The power of an international presence is profound. In the words of former PBI volunteer, Hans-Ulrich Krause: “There are two privileges attached to a foreign passport in a conflict area. You can use it to board the next flight out of trouble. Or you can use it as a tool to help protect human rights.”

Today, the situation for human rights defenders in Kenya is more alarming than ever. Our projects in KENYA is one of newest, but already many local defenders have told us just how desperate their needs for international protection are. And with your support and solidarity, we can respond.

One way is to volunteer! PBI is now recruiting new field volunteers for Kenya for placement in 2018. Information about the Kenyan recruitment campaign can be found here

Application deadline has been extended to: Friday 30th June 2017.

In Kenya, most attacks against human rights defenders continue to go unpunished. Click here to read the powerful story of Rahma Wako.

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Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

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But the Kenyan project also creates great and original tools such as a toolkit for Women Human rights defenders.

Don’t let them stand alone. Please help us safeguard the lives of more human rights defenders with a gift today.

P.S. If you’re wondering what the day-to-day of a PBI volunteer looks like, watch the powerful video below by Sophia Kerridge, a volunteer in Colombia.

Sophia Kerridge has been a PBI volunteer in Colombia for a year. In this short video she explains what the team of volunteers do, her experience, and the situation for HRDs.

To become a PBI field volunteer is an incredible opportunity to provide protective physical and political accompaniment to at-risk defenders. You will help to deter violence, and you will create space for them to continue their critical work toward peace, justice and human rights.

Volunteers receive specialized training, return flights, room and board, medical insurance, and small monthly stipends. If you are selected for training, please contact PBI-Canada to discuss how we can support you!

Did you know that a $50 donation to one of our projects can enable a human rights defender to receive a PBI security training workshop? This knowledge saves lives. The Kenyan Project is in need of support.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Africa, HUMAN RIGHTS

The Gambia: African youth calls for intergenerational bridges

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An article from UNESCO

100 young leaders coming from 22 African countries gathered in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia from 9 to 10 May 2017 to develop new strategies for peacebuilding and regional solidarity in Africa. This international conference was an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of youth to the democratic transition in The Gambia and to reflect on the role of youth movements in the transition and consolidation of democracy on the African continent.

Organized under the theme “Youth, Peacebuilding and Regional Solidarity: Lessons from Africa”, the conference provided a platform to reflect on the opportunities and challenges for the development of the continent’s youth and find consensus on how to address them collectively. The forum was organized with the support of the Government of The Gambia, UNESCO, and the African Council for the Development of Social Science Research (CODESRIA).

Participants and various speakers called for more openness and interaction between generations in Africa in order to promote peace and reduce conflicts on the continent. “We need to bridge the generation gap to prevent violence and resolve conflicts in Africa,” said Ibrahim Ceesay, Executive Director of the African Artists Peace Initiative, adding that “it is important in this context to reflect on exclusion, on migratory phenomena linked to the hostile political environment and on the “mutilated promises that impede development”.

Several youth organizations and movements made this event unique by their contribution to the discussions, including the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCOP), set up with the support of UNESCO, the Y’en a Marre (Senegal) movement, GambiaHasDecided, the Balai Citoyen du Burkina Faso and the Malawi Students Movement Association. Panafrican leaders also attended the forum, such as Professor Abdoulaye Bathily and the Honorable Halifa Salla, member of the Gambian parliament and outgoing Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Central Africa.

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(Click here for the original French version of this article.)

Question(s) related to this article:

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

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Despite the measures taken to place youth issues at the heart of the development agenda and strengthen their participation in the process of governance, peace and development in the region, the social commitment of young people is still limited by challenges and weaknesses in existing networks and interventions. These challenges and weaknesses include participation without representation, limited allocation of resources for youth development, economic marginality and skill gaps.

The UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Office for the Sahel, under the leadership of Dr Maréma Thiam Touré, Head of Social Sciences, made an effective contribution to the organization of this important international initiative as part of its agenda for youth development and civic education. The Social and Human Sciences Sector of the Dakar Regional Office has set itself the task of providing young people with skills and assisting them, in collaboration with the education and culture sectors, in the promotion of Social innovation and effective participation in the development of their societies, to eradicate poverty and inequality, to consolidate a culture of peace, gender equality and intercultural dialogue. This involves information and communication sciences and technologies, in the realization of the Sustainable Development Objectives.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, United Nations