UN calls for national reconciliation in Burkina Faso
Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, has called for a National Reconciliation in Burkina Faso.
He said following the tumultuous events in the past two years after the exit of former President Blaise Campaore, there was need for stakeholders to support efforts of National Reconciliation in Burkina Faso.
He explained that cognisant of the multiply challenges in the field of constitutional, institutional and governance reform, justice and accountability, and the imperative of security sector reform, the UN was applying a novel approach binding all stakeholders towards sustainable peace in a holistic way.
“Forming effective partnership will be critical to avoid a relapse in a fluid regional security,” Dr Chambas stated in Accra during the unveiling of the Head Office Complex of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
The event, which coincided with the launch of a book, dubbed: “Strides and Strains of Civil Society Organisations in Africa: The WANEP Story”, was chaired by Mr Alain Marcel Da Souza, the ECOWAS Commission President.
In attendance were Dr Sam G. Doe, first Executive Director and Co-founder of WANEP, and Mr Emmanuel H. Bombande, second Executive Director and Co-founder of WANEP.
Dr Chambas recounted that ten elections were held in West Africa in the last two years, which overall confirmed the positive democratic trends in the region.
He noted that the next presidential polls would be in Liberia – October 2017 – where the national security forces had recently assumed from the United Nations, the missions of ensuring the safety of the citizens, while the UN Mission in Liberia was expected to withdraw early next year.
“Shortly afterward, February 2018, there will be Presidential and Legislative Elections in Sierra Leone, the first without a UN Mission presence after the end of the civil war,” Dr Chambas stated.
The Special Representative said in all elections, dispute resolution mechanism were key elements that could trigger, and peacefully manage electoral tensions.
Dr Chambas said WANEP, since its establishment in 1998 had contributed immensely to the quest for peace and stability in the region, and had, steadily, become an outstanding reference among Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) across the West African region.
Mr Da Souza remarked that the wisdom of ECOWAS to formally collaborate with CSOs and in particular WANEP was in line with the ECOWAS vision of transforming itself from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of Peoples.
“Ever since, the emphasis on human security became enshrined in international normative frameworks and adopted by ECOWAS as the undergirding principle for its Regional Conflict Prevention programme.
He said the issue of peace and security can no longer be the sole preserve of governments. “Building peace and ensuring human security is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
“Governments everywhere have come to recognise and accept the critical role of civil society in complementing its efforts at building peace and sustainable development”.
Mr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, the Executive Director of WANEP, said with the corporation of governments, ECOWAS, the African Union, and development partners, WANEP had continued to act as a catalyst in implementing programmes and specific activities that support Africa Peace Agenda.
He lauded Dr Chambas for being the first to provide this opportunity through the signing of the first ever memorandum of understanding between WANEP and ECOWAS.
Source: GNA