The 35th ordinary session of the African Union Assembly, heads of State and Government Session, is scheduled to take place on February 05 and 06 in Addis Ababa, the seat of the continental organization.
Last year, 2020’s annual summit of the AU was held virtually due to COVID-19. After two years, the heads of state and government are expected to gather in Addis Ababa to discuss African issues. In addition to the regular continental and international agenda, the AU summit is expected to discuss the current regional and continental developments that need urgent solutions.
Currently, Africa is facing usual and unusual challenges. Political instability, the common headache of the continent still thrives in different parts of the continent which needs urgent and sustainable solutions. The Eastern part of the continent is experiencing serious drought that is devouring domestic and wild animals. In addition, drought is risking the livelihood of millions of citizens, if not tens in this part of the continent.
Due to shortage of rainfall in the region, millions of people in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are jeopardized by food insecurity as the devastating impacts of the drought continued. This devastating drought needs joint continental and global actions before it goes out of control.
Especially, the pastoralist communities within these Horn of African countries are experiencing the impacts of the drought. The pastoralist societies are losing their livestock, which are the only economic sources of pastoralist community, due to shortage of food and water to the animals. The meteorological forecasts in the region also indicate that the drought is likely to prevail until the months of June and July.
Though the respective country is investing its maximum efforts to minimize the impacts of the drought by providing lifesaving food and water both to the people and for the animals, it needs further interventions to handle it.
I think, the African Union would play its role in supporting the governments of these countries to strengthen their resilience to the drought. By making the regional drought one agenda of the upcoming summit, the continental organization should at least play its role to get the problem attention continentally and globally. To save peoples and livestock resources of the continent, the continental organization has a top responsibility in this regard and I hope AU summit may contribute its share to halt the problem.
Unless timely action is being taken to control the impacts of the drought, the continent may face uncontrolled migration and human trafficking. Before it is too late, regional, continental and global actions are expected to control the impacts of the drought, if not the drought itself. As the region is facing different political crises, the drought would complicate the regional peace unless timely actions are taken.
Hence, African leaders during their gathering at Addis Ababa are expected to pass concrete decisions to act to support the region’s resilience in this regard.
Political crises and instability are also remaining a top problem of the continent. Coup d’état is becoming a new fashion especially in West African countries. Though there were some changes in coup during recent years and Africa were showing political developments, military coups returned to stage during the 2021 in Africa faced. Failed and successful military operations were registered in the continent, mainly in West Africa.
The coup attempts in Chad, Mali and Guinea and Sudan disturbs the continent’s peace. In addition, the internal political crises in Ethiopia and the Somalia leaders political differences also need interventions by the continental organization to find peaceful means for the problems.
No doubt, these political problems of countries are internal matters and the genuine solution comes only from the internal political actors of the respective country. For sustainable and genuine solution for the internal political crises of each country, it is on the hand of the political actors and the people of each country. In this regard, the political actors of these countries should come to the table and discussions to solve the political crises and to build inclusive and stable democratic culture.
Still, the continental organization has the moral and legal responsibilities to maintain peace and security of the continent. As the continent is interconnected, these internal instabilities have the capacity to disturb the peace and security of the continent. Beyond that, the continental organization should help the people in these countries live peacefully by solving these problems under the AU charter, without intervening in the internal affairs of the countries.
Especially, the culture of coup d’état should come to an end in the continent. This fashion must phase-out from Africa and power transition should be through peaceful election. The continental organization should play concrete role in transforming the political culture of the continent including the finding of sustainable solution to stop the repeated coup attempts.
Hence, considering these current top challenges of the continent that has the power to disturb the peace and order, the continental heads of states and governments 35th ordinary summit should pass genuine and practical solutions to find sustainable solution for both the political and development challenges in the continent.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The
SUNDAY EDITION 30 JANUARY 2022
