Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of African Union Commission, AUC, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, has underscored the need for adequate investment in Africa Peace Fund to bolster growth.
Adeoye, gave the advice in his address in Abuja, recently, during his working dinner with the theme: “Africa and global shift in governance, peace and security; a compelling agenda for ECOWAS and AU legacy solutions”.
Adeoye, said “The Peace Fund today by member states is $400 million endowment, but we have only the mandate to spend the interest.
“How much is the interest? $27 million a year, but we need $15 million a month in Somalia, like I said. So the challenges are enormous, we have to use our own resources.
“We have to call on the big powers on our continent, Nigeria, South Africa, Angola,
Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco, among others. These are what we call the tier one countries in the African Union system.
“They pay the largest, but they can do more for the sake of this country because for sure the days are over when we will be looking out to the West or to the North.
“South-South cooperation is what we need that can make it happen”.
He stated there is nothing called the United States of Africa, saying African countries should work closely together to build the continent from the bottom up, not the top bottom.
According to him, no one could impose the United States of Africa from a conference and hope the people would buy it, “it must be built from grassroots”.
“I think this is what the African Union is doing with its regional integration agenda, building with the rest and working closely for the United States of Africa.
“In the long term, it will come naturally. You already have a United States of Europe because you can walk into any part of the 27 European countries without much ado, no immigration.
“Such will not happen overnight. ECOWAS is a leader in that, and we can encourage more of the communities to do so”, he added.
He commended the call for the Committee of Ten for the United Nations Security Council Reform, adding we have to keep walking the talk and invest in an inclusive, legitimate UN Security Council.
He promised to partner civil society more in the peace and security domain, advising it champion not just first generation of political and civil rights, also women, economic, social, and cultural rights.
“Nigeria is the only country in Africa that has continuously served in the African Union Peace and Security Council.
“Nigeria has continued to champion peace and security in all ramifications, the huge view we have for peace and security can be reduced because peacekeeping has become an industry.
“We are not in the peacekeeping mode. We are in the peace enforcement mode, and we have to enforce peace as the Nigerian forces have been fighting against Boko Haram”, he advised.
Earlier, Nigerian Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Ambassador Musa Nuhu, said the gathering had become apt to advance democracy and effective governance, as well as boost human and peace dividends, which is critical for AU Member States.
“What we are bringing forward is African problems, and that implies we have to take ownership and ensure we mobilise peace process.
“We must also provide the political will in order to tackle our challenges”, Nuhu said. NAN
