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Senegal’s President Macky Sall was voted in as the brand new chairperson of the African Union on February 5, 2022. He assumes the AU chair at a time when democracy in elements of the continent seems underneath risk. In February, Guinea-Bissau grew to become the most recent African nation to reportedly see a coup try. This adopted carefully on the heels of a profitable coup in Burkina Faso in January. The yr earlier than, army juntas seized energy in Guinea and Mali whereas in Chad, the military appointed the son of long-term ruler Idriss Deby as president in what has been referred to as a ‘dynastic coup.’
On the similar time, the civil struggle in Ethiopia’s Tigray area has been dragging on for greater than a yr whereas armed battle and terrorist assaults are escalating within the Sahel, the huge semi-arid area that stretches from Senegal within the west to Sudan within the east.
Sall talked to DW forward of the 2022 AU-EU Summit which began on Thursday in Brussels.
DW: As chairperson of the African Union, how do you plan to take care of crises corresponding to Ethiopia’s Tigray area in addition to in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and Chad?
Macky Sall: The image might certainly appear bleak. However we frequently neglect Africa is an enormous continent of 54 nations and residential to over 1.3 billion Africans. We additionally neglect to speak concerning the optimistic issues on our continent. Paradoxically, when democracy appears to be shedding, it additionally strengthens, even once we are literally in a disaster.
There are inner crises right here and there however above all it is the coups, particularly in West Africa, that interrupt democratic processes. These issues do occur however we won’t merely scale back Africa to those crises. Ukraine and Russia are presently dominating the world information world wide, so there are crises all over the place.
Admittedly, Africa has many safety challenges, together with the combat towards terrorism. When terrorism was defeated in Syria and in Libya, it unfold to Africa, which is turning into a smooth goal for worldwide terrorism and the following battlefield within the combat towards terror.
Relating to [terrorism in] Africa and the Sahel, we’ve got been pleading with the [UN] Safety Council for the final 10 or 12 years to take higher accountability, to have a mission with a extra strong mandate. We have now not been in a position to rally [support for] this. We even have difficulties financing peace enforcement and peacekeeping operations on the continent.
These are the challenges that we’re engaged on with all our companions ― in the beginning, with the UN Safety Council, which is chargeable for making certain peace and safety on the earth, but additionally with associate nations.
If Africa will not be safe and at peace, the world won’t have peace and safety. This contains Europe, due to its proximity [to Africa], but additionally America and Asia.
These Malians have fled the fear within the north of Mali to hunt refuge in Burkina Faso
What’s the influence on Senegal of the political instability in its West African neighbors of Guinea, Mali and Guinea-Bissau?
Senegal’s neighbors have all the time suffered political crises however this has by no means affected our stability. Senegal has lengthy been a democratic republic and held multi-party elections as early as 1914. Furthermore, the electoral custom is deeply anchored in Senegal. We even have spiritual leaders who play an essential social function, particularly in crises, they will mediate and they’re heard. Senegal has sport, too. Look how [our victory at the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament] has reunited the nation.
No single get together, even when it’s the majority get together, ought to profit whereas leaving folks behind. We have now a sure consciousness of nationwide unity and a sure conception of the Senegalese nation. We even have a republican military that understands its mission is to defend the territory of Senegal. Its mission is to serve elected authorities and the Senegalese military is aware of this very nicely. We have now glorious troopers and generals who’ve carried out their missions inside this context and never in every other. However I’m not criticizing others. Now, within the face of recent crises, we’re right here to assist discover options. What is going on in Mali hurts us all.
The Financial Neighborhood of West African Nations (ECOWAS) in addition to the African Union have been criticized by most of the people in addition to by consultants for not working extra to forestall conflicts from taking place within the first place. Should not we maybe be reviewing the ECOWAS imposed sanctions towards Mali which embody border closure and monetary restrictions?
No. The states that make up ECOWAS are aligned and share a typical future primarily based on all beforehand present issues. Coups have beforehand occurred. To supply options to those crises and to those interruptions of legitimately acquired political energy, we’ve got a constitution on democracy and governance which bans coups d’etat and which units out guidelines when the democratic course of is violated.
Take a look at the case of Burkina Faso. The president [Roch Marc Christian Kabore] was elected [in 2020], there was no problem, the opposition was on the inauguration ceremony. A yr later, he was compelled out of workplace. And also you say ECOWAS ought to do nothing?
Individuals cheer on Burkina Faso’s army after they ousted President Roch Kabore
ECOWAS has performed a lot to combat terrorism, to create solidarity between West African nations and to assist protection and safety forces in our area. It has additionally built-in folks inside the ECOWAS area, for instance, by permitting the free motion of individuals and items.
Sanctions towards Mali have solely been in place for a month. However for the 17 months earlier than that, ECOWAS accepted the proposals of Mali’s transitional authorities. So, we won’t put ECOWAS on trial. That is not what the talk needs to be about. It needs to be about the right way to convey ECOWAS and Mali’s leaders collectively to get Mali out of this example as a result of the Malian folks do not deserve this struggling. It is painful, however I imagine boundaries should be set. I’m assured that talks will resume within the coming months and that we will resolve this downside.
However ECOWAS is not on good phrases with Mali’s transitional authorities so what scope is there for dialogue between the AU, ECOWAS and Mali?
I do not imagine that ECOWAS is not on good phrases with Mali. I’ve by no means heard an ECOWAS head of state say something unhealthy about Mali’s transitional authorities. We mustn’t combine up the problems. There are differing positions, differing perceptions, however one cannot say that there are difficulties between Mali’s transitional authorities and ECOWAS. Yesterday, I took the initiative of calling [Mali’s President Assimi] Goita. We do not have an issue with the transitional authorities. There merely must be a framework for a transition and elections, that is all it’s.
This Malian demonstrator holds an indication saying ‘Down with ECOWAS’ to protest sanctions imposed on Mali
However ECOWAS sanctions are seen as harsh as a result of the costs of fundamental commodities are rising.
The textual content clearly specifies that fundamental requirements will not be affected by these sanctions, neither are pharmaceutical merchandise, medical merchandise nor power merchandise.
How do you see the presence of personal safety teams just like the Russian Wagner Group on the African continent? And the way are you going to work along with your African counterparts to curb insecurity within the Sahel?
For the second, the strategic concern is the combat towards terrorism. For us, the combat towards terrorism has a framework, which incorporates United Nations missions and cooperation with France. We mustn’t neglect that Malian authorities referred to as on France [nine years ago to help fight the jihadist insurgency].
African nations like Nigeria have been preventing towards Boko Haram for 12 years. Chad has paid a heavy worth. So, African nations are preventing every day towards terrorism and there are completely different frameworks.
There may be the G5, a joint drive that brings collectively 5 Sahel nations. And in southern Africa, Rwanda and the SADC [Southern African Development Community] nations have come to the rescue of Mozambique. There may be preventing all over the place, in Somalia to combat towards al-Shabab.
The Malians inform us that they’ve cooperation with Russia on the army degree, on the extent of supervision. Others say that they’re personal militias. Nicely, it isn’t for me to move judgment on this, however it’s a part of the issues that we have to study with the Malian authorities, and likewise internationally, on the query of crises in Africa.
Africa will not be an remoted place on the earth. So, Africa suffers penalties, influences. All this, after all, we should be capable to study and progressively discover options.
Germany has round 1300 troops in Mali as a part of the UN’s mission within the nation
What function ought to Germany play on this matter, contemplating that Germany can be current within the Sahel as a part of the UN’s MINUSMA mission?
Germany as Europe’s main financial energy positively has a task to play, as a driving drive. I do know that it has all the time labored inside the framework of the Franco-German partnership. However all of Europe is now dedicated to a brand new partnership with Africa, a partnership that additionally takes under consideration our issues and options proposed by us.
The period of Africa being given options that we should always then apply is over. We’re saying that Africa and Europe now should construct options collectively. Europe wants Africa and Africa wants Europe. We need to construct a brand new partnership.
The EU-AU summit in Brussels will likely be an important start line, not simply to determine how we’d like one another but additionally for the respect of our identities.
We can’t be receiving a mandate on civilization from Europe. We’re open to this partnership and we actually need it in all good religion. However we’re completely different. It is usually needed for the European facet to acknowledge this distinction and attempt to work with us to search out mutually helpful options.
This interview has been edited for brevity and readability. It was initially carried out in French.
Edited by: Kate Hairsine
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