The 6th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference at Makerere University centres dialogue on the widespread unrest that is currently exhibited by most African countries and therefore calls for peace.
According to the French Ambassador to Uganda Xavier Sticker, Africa is already affected by the Ukraine-Russia war, and the Israel-Gaza conflict and therefore strategies to harness the internal peace within the continent should be harnessed.
According to the French Ambassador to Uganda Xavier Sticker, Africa is already affected by global unrests like the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflicts of Israel and Gaza so the need to harness internal peace is so pertinent.
“And on all these levels, we need to work and have a better understanding because Africa deserves a better understanding because it deserves the best. We need to get closer to each other on the basis of common values and principles,” commented the French Ambassador, Xavier Sticker on Tuesday.
The director of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s programme security dialogue for East Africa Nils Wormer points out Ethiopia’s Tigray war, the conflicts between Riek Machar and Salva Kiir, the ADF menace, the Al Shabab in Somalia as the current insecurity agents that East Africa needs to largely lay concentration on.
“The ongoing war in Europe between Russia and Ukraine that has lasted for more years than the Globe expected, it’s not showing signs of ending and after the recent events Middle East, Africa will feel the effect the more,” said Nils Wormer.
In addition, the Country Representative of UN Women Paulin Chiwangu points out the high rates of gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies as well as segregation against women and girls as one of the setbacks that Africa is still grappling with
“In order for us to address issues of Gender Based Violence, address issues of teenage pregnancies, we have to include men. So, men have to involve themselves in campaigns and stop looking at women as sexual objects,” noted Chiwangu
Many other issues letting African development down like low access to information, barbaric cultural norms, youth unemployment and widespread digital illiteracy have been pointed out as key impediments affecting Africa’s growth.
The 6th edition of Kampala Geopolitics 2023 is based on the theme, of the African dimensions in International debates, securing a more inclusive peaceful environment for all.