News

Messages from Condolences following the death of Prof. Kenneth Hamwaka, Member of the Network

To all members of the Network,

We are deeply saddened to announce the death of a prominent member of the Network, Professor Kenneth Hamwaka. It is a great loss for Malawi, its homeland and our Network because of its great intellectual and human qualities.

In this painful circumstance, on behalf of all members of the Network, we express our sincere condolences to our family and our saddened sympathy.

May his memory help us remain true to our commitment to African youth and the cause of peace.

 

The Executive Secretary of the Network

Jean-Noel LOUCOU

Technical Meeting on the Project for the Creation of a Panafrican School of Peace, bringing together the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, UNESCO, the African Union and the FHB Foundation in Abidjan on May 21 and 22, 2015

Following the decision of the African Union N ° Assembly / dec.558 (XXIV) point G: 22 (II) requesting the African Union Commission to study with UNESCO and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire the possibility of creating a school of peace, the representatives of the above-mentioned institutions and the FHB Foundation held a technical meeting concerning this project on May 21 and 22, 2015 in Abidjan.

The purpose of this meeting was:

  • prepare the creation of the school dedicated to the culture of peace;
  • develop an action plan and a financing plan;
  • prepare the launch of project activities.

Decision on the Culture of Peace in Africa at the 24th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union on January 20 and 21, 2015 in Addis Ababa

DECISION ON ITEMS PROPOSED BY THE MEMBER STATES

The conference,

1. TAKES NOTE of the following points proposed by the Member States:

A. DATE AND PLACE OF THE THIRTY-THIRD, THIRTY-FIFTH AND THIRTY-NINTH ORDINARY SESSIONS OF THE AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE

2. TAKES NOTE of the offers made by the Republic of Niger, the Kingdom of Swaziland and the Republic of Zambia to host the thirty-third, thirty-fifth and thirty-ninth regular sessions of the African Union Conference in June / July 2019 in Niamey (Niger), June / July 2020 in Ezulwini (Swaziland) and June / July 2022 in Lusaka (Zambia) respectively, and EXPRESSES GRATITUDE to the abovementioned countries for their offers;

3. ENDORSES the above three offers and REQUESTS the Commission to carry out the necessary consultations with the three Member States for the purpose of holding these sessions under the best possible conditions;

B. CREATION OF AN AFRICAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN N'DJAMENA - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.4

4. TAKES NOTE of the proposal by the Republic of Chad to establish an African Information Technology Center (CATI) with its headquarters in N'Djamena, Chad;

5. CONGRATULATES the Republic of Chad and its President on this important initiative and on the funds already allocated for the construction of the CATI, the purpose of which is to promote information technologies in Africa, which play an essential role in the process development;

6. UNDERLINES the need to carry out a detailed study on the ways and means of integrating this project into the programs of the African Union with a precise definition of the expected contributions of the African Union on the basis of an assessment of the legal implications , structural and financial, and to submit appropriate recommendations to the relevant bodies of the African Union;

7. REQUESTS the Commission and the Republic of Chad to undertake appropriate consultations with a view to assessing the legal, structural and financial implications of the project and to report to the Conference through the relevant structures;

Assembly / AU / Dec.558 (XXIV)

C. CREATION OF A MEDIATION SUPPORT AND CONFLICT PREVENTION UNIT - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.5

8. TAKES NOTE of the Egyptian initiative to strengthen the use of preventive diplomacy within the African Union through the establishment of a Mediation Support and Conflict Prevention Unit;

9. REQUESTS the Peace and Security Council to consider this issue at these sessions and to propose appropriate recommendations and an assessment of the legal, structural and financial implications of the establishment of such a unit and to submit them relevant structures, for consideration;

10. FURTHER REQUESTS the Commission, in consultation with the Arab Republic of Egypt, to submit a report on this issue to the next Summit in June / July 2015.

D. STATUS OF THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE 11TH AFRICAN GAMES PROVIDED FOR IN BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, IN SEPTEMBER 2015 - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.6

11. CONGRATULATES the Republic of the Congo on the steps it has taken to host the African Games in the best possible conditions;

12. ENCOURAGES all member states of the African Union to participate actively in the African games in Brazzaville in order to demonstrate their solidarity with the Congo and to testify to the Continental Unity.

E. ON CONTINENTAL SOLIDARITY AGAINST BOKO HARAM - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.7

13. TAKES NOTE of the proposal of Niger on the solidarity of the whole continent against Boko Haram and the draft Declaration submitted on this subject;

14. FURTHER CONDEMNS the kidnapping of girls, women, children and Chibok and all others in northern Nigeria by the insurgents and reiterates its call to the Heads of State and the international community to continue its support for the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in its efforts to secure the release of abductees and facilitate a lasting solution to the threat of Boko Haram;

15. WELCOMES and SUPPORTS the efforts of the member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Republic of Benin for agreeing to deploy national contingents and to establish a joint military headquarters for the conduct of military operations against the terrorist group Boko Haram;

Assembly / AU / Dec.558 (XXIV)

16. SUPPORTS the activities carried out under the Nouakchott process to prevent and combat terrorism on the continent with the support of the Peace and Security Council and the African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism (CAERT) and the of the international community as a whole;

17. FURTHER SUPPORTS the proposal to obtain from the United Nations Security Council the adoption of a resolution authorizing the member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Republic of Benin to deploy a multinational joint task force for a the initial period of twelve months and the establishment by the Secretary-General of the Nations of a special fund of a Special Fund to provide financial and logistical support for the operations of the Working Group;

18. EXPRESSES HIS APPRECIATION to the Republic of Chad for prompt intervention to assist the Republic of Cameroon in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group;

19. INVITES all Member States to provide all possible assistance in order to defeat the dangerous terrorist group Boko Haram.

F. TRANSFORMATION OF THE AFRICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL INTO A PAN AFRICAN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.8

20. NOTES that this is a commendable initiative and ENCOURAGES the Government of Benin to pursue it, and ALSO ENCOURAGES Member States, RECs and African and international partners to provide all necessary assistance to achievement of this objective;

21. REQUESTS the Commission and the Republic of Benin to undertake appropriate consultations with a view to assessing the legal, structural and financial implications of the project and to report to the Conference through the relevant structures.

G. CULTURE OF PEACE IN AFRICA -Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.9

22. REQUESTS the Commission:

(i) to take all appropriate measures in consultation with UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Angola for the organization of the biennial Pan-African Forum for a Culture of Peace in Africa, "Biennale de Luanda", in September 2015 ;

(ii) to study, with UNESCO and the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, the possibility of establishing a "School of Peace".

Assembly / AU / Dec.558 (XXIV)

H. AFRICAN INITIATIVE FOR EDUCATION FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT BY INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE - Doc. Assembly / AU / 19 (XXIV) Add.10

23. INVITES Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and African and international partners engaged in the promotion of international peace and security to participate and actively contribute to the meeting on interreligious and cultural dialogue the Republic of Benin.

Assembly / AU / Dec.559 (XXIV) Page 1

Message from the Africa Department of UNESCO on the Culture of Peace in Africa of March 30, 2015

Dear friends of the culture of peace,

At the beginning of 2015, we wish to keep you informed of the actions taken by UNESCO in favor of the culture of peace in Africa!

UNESCO has committed itself, as part of its "Operational Strategy for Africa Priority", to the implementation of the flagship program "Promoting a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence" with other organizations and individuals in order to create together a Pan-African Movement for the Culture of Peace in Africa.

Since 2012, initiatives have been included in the calendar of this program and implemented on the African continent:

In March 2013, the Pan-African Forum "Sources and Resources for a Culture of Peace", Luanda, Angola

And others are in preparation in 2015:

  • the "Brazza + 20" Forum on the Culture of Peace in Brazzaville, Congo
  • the Biennial Conference on the Culture of Peace in Africa, Luanda, Angola
  • the launch of the campaign "Taking action for peace" in Liberia

At the 24th Summit of the African Union (AU), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2015, the Conference of Heads of State and Government requested the Commission of the African Union (AU) AU to take all appropriate measures in consultation with UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Angola for the organization of the Biennial Forum for a Culture of Peace in Africa, "Biennale de Luanda", in 2015 and to study with UNESCO and the Government of Côte d'Ivoire the possibility of establishing a "School of Peace".

For more information: www.unesco.org/africa4peace

Merci de votre engagement dans le Mouvement panafricain pour la culture de la paix en Afrique !

Welcoming Remarks

You are welcome to visit the website of the Network of Foundations and Research Institutions for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace in Africa.

The Network was created at the end of the Addis Ababa meeting on September 20 and 21, 2013 with a view to "creating a continental and sustainable peace movement capable of mobilizing African States, the private sector, African artists and leaders, international organizations and regional development actors as well as NGOs and grassroots associations". It is currently composed of 44 African and non-African organizations listed here.

You will find on our website articles, publications, photos and videos concerning the promotion of the Culture of Peace on the African continent. We also keep you informed about upcoming events.

African Union

UNESCO