African Leaders Gather To Address Pressing Peace And Security Issues

Peace and security remain a pertinent issue on the African continent. This was the sentiment shared at the opening of the fourth Annual Joint Retreat of the African Union Peace and Security Council and the African Peer Review Mechanism APRM in Johannesburg.

The theme of the two-day gathering centres on the importance of governance and how it can influence conflict prevention, as the continent continues to face numerous disputes.

The APRM was established by the African Union in 2003 to strengthen accountability, transparency and sustainable development amongst member states.

As conflicts continue to intensify in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, many civilians are left to fend for themselves.

In too many of our regions, civilians continue to bear the heaviest burden of conflict and institutional failures. Whether through forces displacements, gender based violence, or limited access to services. We must reaffirm that the protection of civilians is not the responsibility of peace makers alone, but its a central pillar of good and effective governance, says Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of A lgeria, S elma B akhta M ansouri.