UN urges W Africa to take steps for peace

United Nations, Aug 10: Disarmament, reintegration into society of former fighters, end to illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and stronger national institutions and civil groups are among the necessary steps that West Africa must take if peace is to consolidate in the region, the Security Council has said.

In a statement read out yesterday by Nana Akufo-Addo, Foreign Minister, Ghana, Council President for August, the 15-member powerful body underlined the importance of the UN's new Peacebuilding Commission in helping countries, which are emerging from conflict, achieve lasting peace and stability.

The statement also urged the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to integrate their efforts and maximise resources so that peace initiatives in the region are given the best possible chance to succeed.

Voicing concern about the threat posed by the continuing illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, the statement called on all countries in the region to ratify a pact limiting the sale and distribution of such arms and weapons.

But it stressed that ''a comprehensive and coordinated manner'' is required if West African nations are to consolidate peace and promote security and economic development.

The presidential statement followed an open debate in which almost three dozen speakers, including Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and his Special Representative for West Africa Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, addressed the Council on peace consolidation in the region.

Mr Annan told the Council meeting that too often the international community's hard-won achievements in ending wars are reversed or undermined because of its frequent response to post-conflict situations, a ''shortage of funds, lack of international coordination, and a tendency to leave too soon.'' He said West Africa is not taking advantage of its rich natural resources and fulfilling its economic and social potential because of ''grave and widespread shortcomings of governance.'' The secretary-general added that the region's problems must be tackled holistically, given that ''insecurity has no respect for national boundaries.'' But he pointed to an accord signed by Nigeria and Cameroon in June, ending a decade-long dispute over the border region of Bakassi, as proof that the United Nations can help countries of the region to make progress on the road towards stability.

Noting that nearly 60 per cent of its population is under the age of 30, Mr Ould-Abdallah told the Council this demographic fact must be considered by the international community when devising solutions to problems in West Africa.

Many of these young people, he said, are unemployed and have little hope of finding jobs, given they have few skills and are emerging from a period where the region's wars have been their chief employers.

UNI

Related Stories
US, France still differ on UN WAsia resolution