BY ONAH ORKANYICHUKWU CLEMENT
Nigeria has called on the African Union (AU) to explore innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms to strengthen the continent’s capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts and reduce dependence on external funding.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the call on Saturday at the 26th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, convened on the theme, “Strengthening Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu commended the progress made in strengthening the AU Peace Fund, noting that member states had collectively contributed about $350.2 million, representing 87.5 per cent of the original $400 million capitalisation target, while the Fund’s balance had exceeded $405 million.
She said the disbursement of about $39 million for mediation, preventive diplomacy, peace support operations and other interventions demonstrated the Fund’s growing role in addressing Africa’s peace and security challenges.
“We therefore call on all Member States to honour their assessed contributions and make additional voluntary contributions where possible, viewing these not merely as obligations but as investments in our collective security and sovereignty,” the minister said.
She stressed that African-led peace operations required predictable and reliable financing for personnel, logistics, equipment and other operational needs, warning that uncertain funding could undermine their effectiveness.
The minister urged the AU to progressively move from dependence on external assistance towards greater African self-reliance, while acknowledging the important role international partners continue to play in supporting peace and security on the continent.
“External assistance should complement African ownership; it should not substitute for it. African resources should remain the foundation of African peace and security financing,” she said.