AU’s Panel of the Wise gather to discuss conflicts and peace building in Africa
By staff Writer
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia- Against a backdrop of conflicts, election controversies members of the African Union’s Commission’s Panel of the Wise are in Addis Ababa to hold two days of consultations on steps to be taken by the Panel to carry forward the reflection on the electoral related disputes, including the preparation by the Commission of the relevant documentation and the convening of a workshop to review the recommendations to be submitted to the AU policy organs, as well as other related steps
The meeting which was opened today Thursday July 17, 2008 was opened by remarks made by ambassador Ramtane Lamara, AU’s Commissioner fro Peace and Security in which he warned that tensions and crises in Africa arising from electoral processes in various countries are likely to inject a fourth generation of conflicts into the geopolitical landscape of the continent after those brought about by the completion of de-colonization and the elimination of apartheid those linked to border disputes and territorial irredentism and those arising from confrontation based on ideological, economic, identity or ethnic considerations.
On election controversies the commissioner said: “At this relatively new stage in the rooting of a culture and practice of pluralistic democracy, the stakes inherent in national constitutional and legislative provisions grant prerogatives of supervision, control and validation of electoral operations. When there are increasing severe breaches of the public order and national security of the country concerned that the situation takes the characteristics of an internal conflict with obvious manifestations of violence and latent threats of a strong potential breakdown of peace and security at the triple national, regional and   international ”
The commissioner also noted on the need for the continent to take an introspective look on Africa’s track record both in terms of the achievements and failures in national processes and with regards to the relevance of collective action developed by the AU to provide support to democracy and good governance as well as to concomitant mission of conflict prevention.
In this regard Commissioner Lammara lauded the efforts being made by the Panel of the Wise calling its contribution stamped with the three ‘seals of experience, independence and hope’. For his part former president of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella and chairperson of the Panel of the Wise stated that the two major themes that would be up for discussion by the Panel would be conflict management and prevention and building democracy.
The developments which have taken place in Africa in recent months have clearly shown that addressing these challenges requires not only the mobilization of the African family but also increase vigilance on its part in order to grasp all the ins and outs of these challenges”, said Ben Bella.
President Ben Bella also called for the need towards addressing these challenges in an effective and sustainable manner.
Calling the tasks of resolving conflicts and rebuilding peace in Africa as  ‘Herculean tasks’   Bena Bella underscored the important role that could be played by the Panel of the Wise.
The Panel Of the Wise was established last year by the AU to support the efforts of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) in conflict prevention on the continent.