By Paul Effiong, Abuja
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has called on countries to prioritise the development and implementation of robust frameworks for post-war recovery.
This was contained in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, in Abuja, Thursday.
According to the statement, the deputy speaker made the call in a proposal titled ‘The Imperative for Strengthened Post-War Management,’ which he submitted at the ongoing 150th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
He said the approach was not only a moral imperative, but also a strategic necessity to secure lasting peace and stability in regions scarred by conflict.
At the event, Kalu was named a co-rapporteur to IPU’s Standing Committee on Peace and International Security to speak on ‘The Role of Parliaments in Establishing Robust Post-conflict Management Mechanisms and Restoring a Just and Lasting Peace.’
Kalu spoke alongside A. Al-Zu’bi of Jordan and Ms F. Belhirch of The Netherlands.
The statement informed that the three speakers spoke on the devastating effects of conflicts and wars in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.
The deputy speaker noted that “despite multiple peace agreements, sporadic violence persists due to inadequate post-conflict reconstruction and weak governance structures.
“The failure to establish a resilient peacekeeping and reconstruction
framework has left Sudan vulnerable to renewed conflict. Economic marginalisation and weak institutions have further impeded sustainable peace, demonstrating the need for stronger mechanisms in post-war
management.
“DRC has been plagued by conflict since the 1990s, including the First
and Second Congo Wars, which have been termed ‘Africa’s World War’
due to their scale and the involvement of multiple neighbouring countries.
The wars resulted in over five million deaths, primarily due to disease,
starvation and violence. The region continues to experience sporadic conflict, undermining decades of fragile peace efforts.
“Weak post-war governance, pervasive corruption and insufficient integration of conflict resolution strategies have prevented lasting stability.
“The international community’s inability to enforce comprehensive peace agreements has contributed to an environment where recurring violence is the norm.
“The historical trajectory from World War I to regional conflicts in Sudan and
the DRC reveals a persistent pattern: the failure to establish strong post-war management mechanisms results in recurring cycles of violence and instability. To break this cycle, the international community, in collaboration with national governments, must prioritize the development and implementation of robust frameworks for post-war recovery.”
Kalu, who is also the convener of the Peace In South East Project, PISE-P, aims to restore peace in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria through non-kinetic means, further stated that the experiences of both Sudan, the DRC and other war-torn places in the world demonstrated that victory in conflict is only the first step in peace initiatives.
To achieve sustainable peace, Kalu therefore demanded institutional strengthening, economic reconstruction, social reconciliation, integration as a healing mechanism and international support.
