Africa Needs More than Just the Silencing of Guns
By Julia Schünemann
19 June 2014
Over the past five decades, Africa has experienced significant change and
positive transition. However, violent conflict continues to compromise
prospects for sustained human development and economic progress. As part of
its 50th Anniversary Declaration in May 2013, the African Union (AU) set
itself the goal of
<
http://summits.au.int/en/sites/default/files/50%20DECLARATION%20EN.pdf>
ending all wars in Africa by 2020 and is now working on a roadmap towards a
conflict-free continent (
<
http://www.au.int/en/content/high-level-retreat-theme-silencing-guns-africa
-building-roadmap-conflict-free-continent-durb> ‘silencing guns in Africa’,
as the slogan goes).
Is this goal in fact attainable? Ending wars is imperative, as violent
conflict is the biggest impediment to a more prosperous Africa. But what
would the concrete benefits look like over time; and would the absence of
war by 2020 really boost Africa’s economic and human development and yield
immediate dividends? By generating momentum for this kind of discussion in
the context of the <
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/beyond2015.shtml>
post-2015 development agenda, the AU’s aggressive target is
noteworthy………………..
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Received on Thu Jun 19 2014 - 12:19:08 EDT