Africa needs to consolidate peace efforts

The African Union Peace and Security Council said Friday that Africa needs to scale up efforts in consolidating peace in the wake of rising conflicts on the continent. Commissioner for the AU organ, Smail Chergui told a press briefing that conflicts erupted in the region over the past year underscored the need for hard work to enhance peace in Africa. While commending the restoration of peace in Mali and Madagascar, the commissioner expressed concern over the crises in Central African Republic and South Sudan. He commended the work of the AU-led peacekeeping force also known as the International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA), saying it was doing a good job. "The troops have already liberated a route that leads to Cameroon and ensured humanitarian organizations reach the people in need," he said, adding that there are about two million people in need of humanitarian aid in the area. Regarding the situation in the Sahel region, he noted that instability in the region threatened peace in Mali, hence the need for a regional and holistic approach to succeed in restoring peace in the region. "On its part, the AU will take all necessary steps to strengthen security in the Sahel region," he said. He also stressed the need for harmonization of various peace initiatives in the Sahel region for positive results, noting that currently there were about 16 of these peace initiatives. He said more effort was still required in the Democratic Republic of Congo to eliminate all insurgent forces that continue to put in danger the lives of innocent citizens. The AU PSC was happy with the election of a new government in Somalia, the adoption of a new constitution in Tunisia and was fully supportive of the Egyptian road map to peace and stability, Chergui said. He said the AU had not abandoned Libya, another current hot spot, and pledged that the AU would continue to support peace efforts in the North Africa country. As a country that has assisted many African countries in the past and with huge investments on the continent, Libya should be assisted to regain peace so that it resumes its development process, Chergui said. "If the situation remains like that in Libya, then our efforts will have been in vain. We need a stable Libya, a country that has its place in the region," he said