Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa

Meeting report

FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
24 May 2000
CONFERENCE ON SECURITY, STABILITY, DEVELOPMENT AND CO-OPERATION IN AFRICA

Documents handed out
Communique of the Ministerial Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-Operation In Africa (attached to end of minutes)
Draft of the Kampala Forum

Acting Chairperson
Ms M Magazi (ANC)

SUMMARY
Mr Habshate presented a briefing on the recent Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-Operation In Africa hosted by Chief Olusegon Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The conference comes at a precarious time, highlighted by the unfolding situations in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia/Eritrea and Zimbabwe. The conference expressed support for the current efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Security Council, to strengthen the UN forces in Sierra Leone and urged the international community specifically African countries at large to contribute troops for the rapid deployment by the UN as a matter of priority.

MINUTES
Mr Habshate, Deputy Director, indicated that the CSSDCA deliberations dealt with several issues on the thematic topics of Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation. These compose the CSSDCA mission since its recent resuscitation after ten years by Chief Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

CSSDCA's inception occurred in Paris in 1990 at the European Conference on Security. Linkage occurred in 1991 at the Kampala Forum in Uganda, which highlighted the fundamental changes necessary for Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa. The process lost momentum until this year when Obasanjo resuscitated it, declaring that it offers the comprehensive answer for the impending challenges facing peace and stability in African development. Mr Obasanjo argued for a steering committee and Ministerial intervention to seal the promise made in Algiers in 1999.

South African representative, Dr Sayere, gave a much-applauded presentation on the theme of Stability.

A Declaration of Principles, a Plan of Action and an Implementation Mechanism was adopted by the conference. This draft was endorsed by the CSSDCA steering committee and will be submitted to the forthcoming Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Governments, tentatively scheduled to take place in Lome, Togo in July 2000 for adoption by continental leaders.

Mr Habshate stated that the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action themselves were provisionally left open-ended in order to reach consensus on a shared vision. The Implementation Mechanism establishes the following provisions: that the conference meet every two years, provisions occur through the Pan-African Parliament, that the CSSDCA guidelines be incorporated in national institutions, the OAU magistrates meet in-between session conferences every six months, and a unit be established to consolidate these activities.

Mr Habshate urged Parliamentarians to become involved in the yearly event.

Discussion not included.

Appendix 1:
COMMUNIQUE OF THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY, STABILITY,
DEVELOPMENT AND CO-OPERATION IN AFRICA (CSSDCA)

At the Invitation of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the first ever
Ministerial Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation in Africa
(CSSDCA) was held in Abuja, Capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from 8 - 9 May
2000.

The Conference was jointly chaired by Hon. M.T. Thabane (MP) Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the kingdom of Lesotho and Chairman of the 71st Ordinary Session of the OAU
Council of Ministers and H.E. Alhaji Sule Lamido, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the CSSDCA Steering Committee.

In attendance were African Ministers of Foreign Affairs, supported by other Ministers and
officials responsible for Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation in QAU
Member States. Also in attendance was H.E. Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, Secretary-
General of the OAU, as well as Mrs. Lailla Ben Barka, Deputy Executive Secretary of the
Economic Commission for Africa.

The Conference was officially opened by H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who, recalled the history and strategic vision behind the initiative, as well as its continued contemporary relevance as a framework for providing a comprehensive and integrated continental response to the challenges of peace and development in Africa. President Obasanjo deplored the unacceptable state of insecurity and instability in many parts of the Continent, which problems, have continued to sap the energies and resources of African countries and undermined their developmental efforts.

The President strongly urged the Ministers to give practical meaning to the commitment, which their leaders had entered into in Algiers, Algeria and Sirte in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1999, by demonstrating that collectively, Africa is willing and able to take charge of its own destiny and capable of reversing the socio-economic decline that the Continent had experienced over the years. President Obasanjo submitted to the Conference, concrete and specific proposals for advancing and sustaining the CSSDCA process.

H.E. Abdelaziz Ziari, Minister-delegate for the National Community Abroad and Regional Co-operation of the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Algeria gave a reply speech on behalf of the Ministers attending the Conference. Statements were also made by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa and Prof. Amos Sawyer, Executive member of the Africa Leadership Forum at the Opening Session of the Conference.

The deliberations of the Conference were preceded by presentations of the thematic topics of Security, Stability, Development, and Co-operation, by four Experts and Resource Persons drawn from different parts of the Continent.

The Conference discussed in an in-depth and frank manner, the multifaceted challenges confronting the African Continent related to the areas covered in the CSSDCA Calabashes - Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation in Africa.
In this regard, the Conference reviewed the draft CSSDCA Final Document elaborated by the Group of African Experts, which met in Abuja from 5-6 May 2000 and which document was endorsed by the CSSDCA Steering Committee meeting, also held at the same venue on 7 May, 2000.

The Draft CSSDCA Final Document, which was adopted by the Conference, incorporates a Declaration of Principles, a Plan of Action and an Implementation Mechanism for advancing and sustaining the CSSDCA process.

The outcome of the Ministerial Conference on Secunty, Stability, Development and Cooperation (CSSDCA), will be submitted to the forthcoming Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Lome, Togo in July 2000 for adoption by the Continent's leaders.

The Conference expressed concern over the unfolding situation in Sierra Leone. It deplored the action of the RUF, which constitutes a serious set back to the efforts to implement the Lome Peace Agreement. The Conference expressed solidarity with the Government of Sierra Leone and appealed to the ECOWAS Mini Summit convened in Abuja, Nigeria by the Current Chairman of ECOWAS, H.E. President Alpha Omar Konare of Mali, to do everything possible to ensure that the concerned Parties, scrupulously implement the Lome Peace Agreement in order to facilitate the early return of normalcy in that country. The Conference expressed support for the current efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Security Council, to strengthen the UN forces in Sierra Leone and urged the international community in general and African countries in particular, to contribute troops for rapid deployment by the United Nations, as a matter of priority.

The Conference expressed appreciation to the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for hosting the CSSDCA and for the warm African hospitality extended to all the delegations as well as for the facilities placed at their disposal which contributed to the success of the Conference.

Abuja, Nigeria 9 May, 2000