During its golden jubilee anniversary, 2013, the African Union came up with Agenda 2063 dubbed “The Africa we want.” It is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. Agenda 2063 was to enable African union prioritize inclusive social and economic development, continental and regional integration, democratic governance and peace and security.
The AU adopted ‘Silencing The Guns by 2020’ (STG) as a flagship project for agenda 2063. Six years after its adoption, Ministers of the African Union executive council decided to make it the AU Theme. This was during the July 2019 meeting at Niamey, Niger.
“Silencing the Guns is at the nexus of peace development. It is not just about guns, it is about what drives people to resort to guns. We need to address those underlying issues,” noted Mrs. Aissatou Hyatou, the STG Operations Manager, during a 2019 meeting hosted by the office of the AU High Representative in Ethiopia.
The small arms trade in Africa is estimated at 1 billion USD or nearly 20% of the global arms trade. Although interstate conflict continues to decline, domestic conflict is on the rise. These domestic conflicts are also coupled up with terrorism.
Africa Union Master Road Map
These are the practical steps adopted by the Assembly of the Union in line with Silencing guns in Africa by 2020. The AU Peace and Security Council has led efforts in the implementation of AUMR in collaborative efforts with AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, the African Union Commissions, UN, African Organizations, CSOs and partners.
Africa’s state of Conflict
Although interstate conflict continues to decline, domestic conflict is on the rise. In 2018, 21 active civil wars were recorded, the highest number in the continent since 1946. The type of conflict has evolved since independence. From an ideologically driven guerrilla warfare to armed conflicts.
Current conflicts are propagated by financial gains (desire to control a certain factor of production, asserting an ideology, or addressing political grievances. The high unemployment rate of the youth has made it easy for them to be recruited into these conflicts, considering that they harbor resentment for their governments.
This current state of civil wars is leading to the growth of guns black market in Africa.
Are there any Changes?
There has been little or no changes in most conflict hot beds despite AU’s effort to silence the guns. DRC’s war still persists and has so far claimed 5 million lives. Tensions continue to rises in CAR despite signing of a peace agreement. Conflict continues in Libya after the fall of Gaddafi. Boko Haram still persist in Nigeria. There is still war in Somalia and Mali.
Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration
This is one of the steps by AU in a bid to silence guns. After signing peace treaties a sustainability has to be ensured. This is where disarmament, demobilization and reintegration come into play. The subject government reclaims the guns from her citizens. The government can then destroy the guns (demobilization), or give them to the national army (reintegration).
Through this, AU also tries to prevent any relapses of the civil wars.
What are the AU’s strategic priorities?
- Conflict prevention.
- Crisis Management.
- Post Conflict Reconstruction.
- Strategic Security Issues.
- Coordination and Partnership.
Did the AU bite too much for them to chew?
In an AU press release, Ambassador Fredric Gatertse admitted that, “Having 2020 as a deadline is ambitious, we want to be ambitious, if we don’t meet it we will adjust.”
The statement shows that AU is focused to silence the guns in Africa even if they did not manage to make the deadline.
What next?
“If there is a strong enough political will then this can be realized, or at least we can create conditions and the progress required for this to be moved forward and realized in the years to come,’ remarked MS. Einas Osman Abdalla in one of the AU press releases.
It is clear that Silencing the guns is not only up to the AU but it is an individual responsibility of every African country. Yes, currently progress might be staggered due to the COVID 19 pandemic, but this is no reason to wave the white flag.
African leaders should rally behind AU in this fight. Every country must attain good political will. The AU approaches, which include women inclusivity, need to be applauded. More awareness is necessary to increase civic participation in this quest. Prevention rather than action should continue like in the CAF case.
To achieve the 2063 agenda ‘The Africa We Want’, peace and stability is paramount. It is high time the African countries’ government and there citizens realize this. The sooner the AU acquires full support of the African citizens, the faster the guns will all find licensing!
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