President Bola Tinubu has called for a united front against the proliferation of arms and light weapons in Africa.
Tinubu expressed alarm about the escalating threat of terrorism, insurgency, and military intrusions into government across Africa, particularly in West Africa, and urged the African Union and the United Nations to develop new measures to stem the flow of arms and light weapons into the continent.
The President announced this as he opened a discussion conference in Abuja titled ‘The Africa we want and the UN we need.’
He said, “As part of our collective response to these challenges which have grave global implications, may I urge the participants to find innovative and cost-effective strategies by which the African Union would collaborate with the United Nations and the international community to stem the tide of the proliferation of arms and light weapons into Africa, end terrorism and resurgent insurgency and to check the retrogressive return of the military in governance in Africa.”
The President, represented by the Federation’s Secretary to the Government, George Akume, praised the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy, and Development and the Stimson Centre for organizing the high-level Regional Dialogue, emphasizing the global call for UN System reform and democratization.
The President also acknowledged the severe socio-economic, environmental, and political challenges facing many African countries, making it difficult for them to achieve their development goals.
He agreed that African perspectives and innovative priorities need to be included in policy debates to enhance the performance of global institutions in addressing sustainable development, peace and security, climate governance, and human rights.
Highlighting the establishment of a standing Network of African think tanks, President Tinubu praised the initiative as a visionary move to ensure African voices are heard in resolving global governance challenges.
He also reiterated his commitment to negotiating the peaceful return of democratic governance in ECOWAS member states affected by military interventions.
In closing, President Tinubu officially declared the conference open, wishing participants fruitful deliberations.
On his part, the former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and founder/chairman of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy, and Development, Ibrahim Gambari, said Africans must be vocal advocates for causes that concern them.
The ace diplomat called for reforms in the UN saying, “Our position for reform of the UN Security Council is to evolve into a body that is not paralysed by the misuse of vetoes as demonstrated in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Gambari argued that the governance of these multilateral institutions must reflect effective African participation and thus responsiveness to its needs.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said a prime goal of the Commission’s Agenda 2063 is to completely change the continent.
He blamed Africa’s failure to deepen democracy and collective security as a major impediment to achieving sustainable development and progress.
Present/represented at the forum were a former President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Donald Kaberuka; Chairperson, African Union Commission, Mousa Faki Mahamat; Chairman, Dangote Group and Representative of the African Business Group, Aliko Dangote; Founder and Chairman, Savannah Centre, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, amongst others.
