On Saturday, May 28, the 16th Extraordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Conference on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa was held in Malabo. At the opening ceremony, the Head of State, HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, took stock of these serious problems in our continent, and their humanitarian and social consequences.
At the beginning of his speech, as the host Head of State, HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said that ” The Republic of Equatorial Guinea condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations because terrorist acts constitute a threat to human dignity, peaceful coexistence, and the economic and social development of nations .” And he has recalled that ” the African continent as a whole, continues to accumulate one decade after another, losses that make deep wounds of underdevelopment, serious instability and recurrent sources of violence continue to appear “.
The President has specifically alluded to the terrorism exercised by groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, Ansar al-Sunna, the Islamic State in Central Africa (ISCAP), and also Al Qaeda. “ It is sad to see that the terrorists have succeeded in recruiting many unemployed young people into their ranks of combatants, which is increasingly improving their military capacity, turning them into groups capable of organizing powerful attacks against civilians or the army, which have forced some three million people to leave their homes. He also made a specific allusion to the danger that is increasingly spreading to the Gulf of Guinea: ” A particular space where, in recent years, terrorist activities have multiplied.”
– “It is equally evident to note that local international criminal organizations represent a serious threat to stability, and even to the sovereignty of States. Criminals use weapons and violence, but also money and corruption to secure elections, buy politicians and gain power, and even to win over the military ”, continued the Head of State.
The Equatorial Guinean leader has made it clear that no nation is safe from the threats of terrorism and cannot face this problem on its own. And in this sense he has suggested the teamwork that requires international cooperation and collaboration:
“ One aspect to which we must give special attention is the aspect of the financing of terrorism. Terrorist groups cannot act alone if they do not have funding for their operations. Cutting financing channels would significantly reduce the possibilities of action for terrorist groups”.
The President has also rejected and condemned the unconstitutional changes of governments in the African continent registered in recent years, provoked and caused by external factors:
“ A situation that was multiplied in the year 2021 and at the beginning of this year 2022, and that has symbolized setbacks in terms of democratic governance for the African continent”.
-“The Lome Declaration of the year 2000, with which the then Organization for African Unity, OAU, alluded to prohibit unconstitutional changes of governments in the continent, agreeing not to recognize the coup government and its expulsion from the organization, served for a time to contain this type of practice by the military apparatus – continued HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who stressed that “ many unconstitutional changes of government on the continent are provoked and caused by external factors with the involvement of foreign fighters and mercenaries to safeguard their political and economic interests. It is a real threat to the peace and security of the African continent.”
HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has invited everyone to invest in the stability of their countries, in order to leave the next generation with a peaceful, stable and prosperous continent and, finally, has augured hopes that the extraordinary sessions of the assembly adopt effective and appropriate decisions capable of strengthening governance and security mechanisms in Africa ” to mark the path towards a better future for our populations, in accordance with our aspiration in the Agenda 2063 of the African Union”.
At the same inauguration, the President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the President of the Republic of Angola, HE Joao Lorenzo, -to name a few-, have also spoken, who have also condemned terrorism and its manifestations .
The work continued behind closed doors, where African leaders discussed the challenges that affect the humanitarian crisis in Africa, the factors that caused an increase in coups on the continent from 2021 to the present year 2022, and their implications for governance.
The 16th Special Session of the African Union Conference on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa is one of the continental meetings that has brought together a greater number of African leaders in person, since the appearance of the covid-19 pandemic .
