Chakwera says Malawi supports extension of ‘silencing the guns’ in Africa programme
Malawi supports the proposal to extend the mandate of African Union (AU) programme of ‘Silencing the Guns’ and roadmap beyond 2020.
Presiden Lazarus Chakwera made Malawi’s position on Sunday during Virtual 14th Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Silencing Guns.
He said the extension was for the period of 10 years from 2021 to 2030 with periodic reviews of two years considering that its objectives have not been fully realized.
“Malawi wishes to support the extension of the mandate of the Amnesty for a periodic of 10 years and calls on all countries with peacekeeping missions to integrate their national disbarment processes with United Nation’s Rule of Law, calls for voluntary disbarment,” the President added.
He said this would eventually ensure the safety of those surrendering arms, thereby improving sustainability of the intervention as civilians would only respond to a call for voluntary disbarment if they are given national guarantee.
Chakwera proposed that AU commission should concentrate on control of import, circulation and availability of arms since these contribute significantly to conflict on the continent.
“We are all primary drivers of the Silencing the guns, Malawi wishes to recommend that all member states should consider developing and implementing action plans, with effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting measures on management and resolution of conflicts,” the President told the meeting.
He viewed that Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should serve as effective building blocks of the AU and bridge AU and members states in achieving the objectives of the Silencing the Guns Agenda through the development of regional action plan.
Chakwera call on international community to work closely with African States, AU and RECs to eradicate conditions that germinate the seeds of violence.
“This should be done by among other means, supporting AU’s and REC’s peace building efforts by stopping weapons flows to the continent,” he added.
Chairperson of AU, President of South Africa, Cyril Ramamphosa stressed the need to control arms sale in order to minimize conflicts in the continent.
He said the sale of arms has brought a lot of suffering to girls and women in conflict areas where they are subjected to all forms of violence by armed men.
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