AU must not neglect Burundi
Mmegi Editor | Thursday January 28, 2016 12:56
The economic outlook is also an issue that needs the attention of the Heads of State since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank forecast a slow growth due to a slump in commodity prices, and China’s slow growth.
Terrorism is on everyone’s lips following the Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou hotel attack two weeks ago in which 28 foreign nationals were killed.
Terrorism from Islamic groups such as ISIS, Al Qaeda and Boko Haram have dominated discussions in world bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly and G7 gatherings.
The continent’s peace and political stability will also feature in the AU Agenda, especially the on-going armed conflicts in South Sudan and Burundi among others.
The AU Summit comes just a few days after Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza refused entry to representatives of the United Nations Security Council and African Union peacekeepers. The Burundi conflict has claimed over five hundred lives and thousands more displaced after the violence triggered by Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office.
We therefore call on the African Union and the UNSC to come together and engage the illegitimate leadership of Burundi to allow peacekeeping efforts to be implemented to return the country to normalcy. The conflict poses a serious challenge to the AU, which is at loggerheads with the international community on conflict resolution in the continent, and one such body is the International Criminal Court of Justice.
It is possible that crimes against humanity and war crimes are being committed in Burundi, but the African leaders will the first to defend a murderous regime such as this one.
As for the South Sudan conflict, there is hope after the warring parties came to the negotiation table early this year, a deal facilitated by former President of Botswana Festus Mogae to end the war.
The parties agreed on a government of national unity that will lead to elections in two years time. Peace efforts such as this one should also be have the full support of international bodies that have powers to impose binding conditions such as targeted sanctions against those who breach the agreements.
We therefore call on the AU to ensure that the Burundi conflict is afforded the attention it deserves and resolved as a matter of urgency.
Today’s thought
“One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician’s objective. Election and power are.”
- Cal Thomas