[allAfrica.com]


Conflict - Obasanjo Urges Support for Ecowas, AU

This Day (Lagos)

NEWS
21 October 2007
Posted to the web 22 October 2007
Lagos
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU) and other regional
organisations should be adequately resourced for effective conflict prevention
and resolution on the African continent.
He made the call in at a seminar for current special and personal
representatives and envoys of the UN Secretary-General.
The theme of the seminar was: "UN Peace Operations And The Evolving Strategic
Environment".
Obasanjo said equipping the regional bodies with adequate resources would
guarantee rapid response to conflicts before the international community could
act.
He said this was necessary, "knowing fully well that it takes time for
international response to secure consent and to gather momentum" in crisis
situation.
The former president also suggested that where possible, "local community norm
and standard" should be applied in seeking justice as was the case in Rwanda.
He noted that community norm, in addition to the International Criminal Tribu-
nal, had been cost effective in Rwanda. Obasanjo recalled that African leaders
had tried to confront the challenges of conflict prevention and resolution
through a serious reform of political framework.
Such initiatives, he added, include the introduction of NEPAD and the African
Peer Review Mechanism.
Obasanjo called for the support of the international community in the timely
provision of resources and effective early warning signals as initiatives for
tackling the root of political instability.
He noted that the linkage between security, stability and development as pre-
condition for sustainable transformation of society was often neglected.
"In fact, it has neither been recognised nor accorded the required level of
consideration and priority," he stressed.
According to him, security can be approached from the dimensions of state
security, political regime security and human security.
He, however, said the boundary between regime security and state security was
narrow.
He declared: "Ideally, human security should occupy the centre-stage, followed
by state security and finally regime security.
"This is because of the belief that a more secured people is sure guaranty for
continued existence of the state".
The former president said this would also result in the emergence of a
conducive environment for sustainable development, stressing that political
stability was a pre-condition for sustainable development.

================================================================================
Copyright © 2007 This Day. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global
                            Media (allAfrica.com).
================================================================================

                            [Click_to_learn_more...]