Angola joins Darfur peace mission

Addis Ababa, ANGOLA, May 10 - Diplomats with Angolan Embassy in Ethiopia returned Thursday to the capital Addis Ababa from Darfur, Sudan, after accomplishing a May agenda mission under the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union. ,

 

The AU delegation integrated 15 States comprising Peace and Security Council.

 

The delegation assesses from 5 to 9 May the zone affected by internal conflict since 2003 and having analysed the activities of the African Union Mission in Darfur ( UNAMID), especially its ongoing reconfiguration.

 

This mission followed a recent one to South Sudan, bordering Sudan.

 

The country is also close to Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic (CAR) and Eritrea.

 

In the light of report on the visit to South Sudan, Angola underlined at the 768th meeting of the PSC in Addis Ababa (26 April) that the youngest country on the continent has never had a true peace since its independence (2011), due to political, economic, ethnic and religious reasons.

 

The country encouraged that a permanent work was necessary involving political actors, religious and traditional entities for the achievement of lasting peace.

 

Angola, which is expected to take over PSC chair in September 2018, focused its April speech on the issues such as genocide prevention on the continent.

 

Stress also went to the Humanitarian Assistance, creation of the Standby African Force as well as the political situation in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Rwanda chairs CPS in May taking over from Nigeria that held the Council in April.

 

The agenda of the 761st session of the Organ (April 5) discussed the theme on Prevention of the Ideology of Hate, Genocide and Hate Crimes.

 

The Angolan ambassador Arcanjo do Nascimento suggested the need to revive

the Early Warning Mechanism in order to avoid further genocide, or ratification of universal legal instruments to combat genocide.

 

The following session (9 April) discussed the Effective Operationalisation of the African Humanitarian Agency, as Africa currently accommodates three-fourths of the world's displaced population, with more than 5.6 million refugees and 13.2 million displaced persons.

 

Addressing the complex and demanding framework, Angola called for the creation of adequate mechanisms to ensure proper functioning of the African Humanitarian Assistance Agency.

 

The 763th session (10 April )discussed the Nuclear Energy, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, as well as the Rwanda-designed agenda for May. Angola expressed concern about the political situation in the DRC, suggesting the inclusion of an aspect on information about this border country.

 

Still, on peace and security on the continent, the Angolan delegation regretted the fact that many countries signed agreements without ever implementing them. As example the case of Sudan and South Sudan, questioning what stand the PSC would take on these two States.

 

According to the same statement presented at the 766th meeting (24 April) on the Panorama of Peace and Security in Africa, it depends very much on the will of the political actors, and is of the opinion that the PSC adopts practical methods focused on the same actors.

 

At its 767th meeting (25 April), Angola told the PSC to encourage the AU Commission's Specialised Technical Defence Committee to work towards finding the necessary mechanisms related to the start-up and operationalisation of the African

Standby Force.

 

The  768th session dedicated to South Sudan, while the 769th (30 April) discussed the Transitional Plan of the Federal Government of Somalia, which foresees the gradual transfer of AMISOM (African Union Mission to Somalia) to the Somali Security Forces.

 

 

The 770th Session (2 May) focused on progress made in the Operationalisation of the AU Peace Fund, Coordination, Governance and Management, Financial Assessment and the African Union / United Nations Partnership.

 

Angola is serving the third term at CPS. The last election was held at 30th Ordinary Session of Conference of heads of State and Government of the African Union held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), between 28 and 29 January, 2018.

 

CPS comprises Angola, DRC, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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