The onerous task of identifying the sponsors of terror groups like Boko Haram is a collective one, President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday told African and European leaders.
Speaking in Brussels, Belgium, at the opening of the Fourth European Union-Africa Summit focusing on peace and security, he however thanked the EU and other development partners for their support towards putting an end to terrorism.
According to President Jonathan, “The weapons of choice of these terror groups are the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)”.
He however noted that “Of recent, they have acquired the rapid propelled grenades and even surface-to-air missiles. Where do they get these sophisticated weapons?
“The total value of what these terrorists possess as individuals, in terms of what they wear, where they live cannot buy an assault rifle.
“We all have the collective responsibility to un-earth their sponsors and supporters who are determined to destabilise Africa. We should hold them responsible and accountable for their actions.”
The issue of peace and security, the President noted required a holistic and integrated approach, as peace and development are two sides of the same coin.
He briefed the gathering on the recent summit organized by Nigeria on “Human Security, Peace and Development: An Agenda for the 21st Century” during Nigeria’s recent Centenary Celebrations, saying it resolved, in part, that all countries must continue to strengthen existing mechanisms for national and international conflict management, and create new avenues for co-operation within and between peoples and nations.
The President also recalled that since 2000, African Union had demonstrated sustained desire for the development of collective security arrangement among its member states and its Regional Economic Communities.
He said the countries had established a security management system and the codification of standards within Africa’s Peace and Security Architecture.
This, he said, included the Peace and Security Council, a continental early warning system, the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force (ASF).
He said the union has also subscribed to modalities and action plans to confront these challenges new threat of piracy in some maritime boundaries and curb the menace of oil theft.
The President also said there were organs within the AU with mandates to strengthen the peace and security architecture.
The coming into force of the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Government as a legally binding instrument, he noted as a further re-affirmation of collective resolve at outlawing unconstitutional change of government in Africa.
“Notwithstanding these initiatives, new and emerging threats that necessitate concerted and holistic focus have emerged. These include political conflicts that threaten hard-won peace and democracies, and worse still, the phenomenon of piracy and terrorism.
“In the face of these new threats and challenges, the Peace and Security Architecture needs to be strengthened and the African Standby Force needs to be fully operationalised.
“We need to give stronger impetus to capacity building and logistical support to boost Africa’s capability and preparedness to take pre-emptive steps to contain conflict situations, quell violence and deal with the scourges of terrorism.
“There is need for renewed efforts to address the challenges at hand, in the context of our partnership. The modest successes recorded in tackling the peace and security challenges confronting us notwithstanding, the fact remains that we may continue to fall short of the target of ridding Africa of conflicts if the nexus that exists between peace and development is not fully explored and developed.
“Our approaches must therefore be integrated while simultaneously addressing the socio-political factors that push countries to conflict, with their attendant humanitarian and socio-economic consequences,” he said.
