‘Zim to thank Africa for backing its election into the UNSC’

Mukudzei Chingwere in LUANDA, Angola

VICE PRESIDENT Dr Constantino Chiwenga said Zimbabwe will take advantage of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, which is scheduled for today, to thank the continent for backing its election into the United Nations Security Council this year.

In an interview soon after arriving here yesterday, VP Chiwenga said the summit’s focus is to examine how the AU and its member states can reinforce approaches to conflict prevention and resolution, as well as to “come up with new solutions” for the challenges facing the continent.

“We have come for this AU Extraordinary Summit to discuss and look into how the African Union and all its member states can strengthen mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution in Africa, and come up with new solutions on how to deal with the issues affecting our continent,” said VP Chiwenga.

“We are now going to receive what they have all agreed upon as they present their recommendations to this summit. The summit is timely because Africa, as a continent, is facing a multitude of problems.

“There are conflicts in nearly every region of the African continent, stemming largely from terrorism. We also now have the issue of wars in a number of our regions.

“Some of these problems are externally sponsored. People have different interests, and so does Africa. Do we continue to allow ourselves to be manipulated? Do we want to continue to depend on other countries, even on how to solve our own problems?”

Zimbabwe, he said, will take time to thank the continent for entrusting Zimbabwe to represent them in the United Nations Security Council.

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Minister Sheillah Chikomo represented Zimbabwe at the ministerial session, which focused on the need to unite the African continent for the maintenance of peace and security.

The AU’s decision to convene an extraordinary session devoted specifically to conflict prevention and resolution reflects a growing recognition that instability across regions is no longer confined to national borders.

Conflicts — whether rooted in political contestation, governance crises, communal tensions, resource disputes or the destabilising impact of illicit networks — have increasingly produced cross-border spillover effects, including displacement, humanitarian strain, economic disruption and the spread of insecurity.

The Luanda gathering is expected to serve as both a policy forum and a strategic coordination platform, bringing together senior leaders and heads of delegations to strengthen continental approaches that emphasise prevention before crises escalate and resolution mechanisms that can stand up to implementation challenges.