The A-YAT on ‘Silencing the Guns’
Written by the UNOY African Youth Advocacy Team (A-YAT)
The African Union (AU) vowed to ‘Silence the Guns’ of armed conflict by the year 2020. Yet here we are and the guns remain deafening. Why do the guns still ring out and what will it take to fulfil this vow of silence? As the A-YAT, we offer insights from our daily realities on the ground, working to move our continent to a more peaceful and inclusive place.
We know that violent conflicts, human rights violations, gender-based violence, terrorism, and general instability continue to severely challenge the development of present-day Africa. The AU declared 2020 the year of ‘silencing the guns’. Seven years ago, Member States of the AU gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the organizations’ founding. At this gathering in 2013, representatives from across the continent singled out armed conflict as the biggest barrier to development; and so the AU’s campaign to ‘Silence the Guns in Africa by 2020’ was born.
It aimed high: not only to achieve a conflict-free Africa, but also to prevent genocide, make peace a reality for all, and rid the continent of wars, violent conflicts, human rights violations, and humanitarian disasters. The A-YAT recognizes and appreciates the AU for this laudable and timely initiative. The sound of armed violence is, however, inescapable. Several African countries—such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, amongst others—are currently plunged in violent conflict. It is against this backdrop that we put forth the gaps that we see and the proposals that we urge the AU to take up.
All hands are needed to ‘silence the guns’, but the program to do so is not inclusive, particularly when it comes to youth. How can we expect success from a program that excludes one of its most important stakeholders? Therefore by failing to ensure that young people are an integral part of the program, it is tantamount to disaster. In the same vein, it is noteworthy that the perpetuation of threats and renewed violent conflicts will never cease as long as the issue of participation and inclusion is not rectified. Young people are at the forefront of peacebuilding. Therefore, the A-YAT recommends the AU to guarantee participation of young people at the grassroots level through collaboration with local, national, and international organizations across Africa.
Corruption and lack of confidence in election results play a pivotal role in emerging threats and violent conflicts. Self-serving leaders have stolen young people’s bright futures; they continue to destroy civic space and democratic rights. Still, we work with a relentless drive to own our present and retrieve our future. To a certain extent, some leaders are benefiting from violent conflicts because it keeps them in power. We feel that the AU is not doing enough to safeguard human rights and uphold democratic values on the continent. There is an urgent need for the AU to embody neutrality so as to maintain its relevance in peace and security issues, especially on election-related matters.
The continued interference by world superpowers in the political and economic landscape of some countries has negative bearings when it comes to silencing the guns. Global interference can mean the intentional fuelling of violent conflicts from which they reap economic benefits, for example in the form of resources such as fuel, minerals, etc. To counter this, the AU must develop mechanisms to safeguard all nations that have fallen to such situations.
The early warning system of the AU’s Peace and Security Council has not been an effective strategy for preventing the outbreak of conflict. This system has failed to hold governments and decision-makers to account and committed to early response. This has been one of the major reasons why countries continue to find themselves in new conflicts. We, therefore, propose that the AU early warning system finds new strategies to move beyond a warning to enforcing early response by states.
One of the weaknesses of the ‘Silencing the Guns’ campaign is to identify strong and tangible measures to address impunity for conflict-related violence in Africa. The lack of accountability for violations of abuses has continued to strengthen the cycle of violence in most conflict-affected countries, such as Cameroon, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The A-YAT recommends that legally binding mechanisms be put in place to ensure the impartial investigation of cases of violence and impunity.
There is a need to extend the deadline for the campaign. We must adapt to the realities on the ground; we are already in 2020, and the guns have yet to be silenced. The pandemic has created new challenges faced on the continent and has made the efforts to silence the guns even more imperative. We need to silence the guns to cope with the pandemic. It is crucial that more time is allocated to truly realise this campaign.
Conclusively, the A-YAT applauds the work of the AU to ensure peace and stability prevail on the continent through its Agenda 2063 flagship project to silence the guns by 2020. Although there has been little success recorded so far, seven years after it came into effect, there is a need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders. The A-YAT, formed by young people from all over the continent, sees the vital role that youth are currently playing in matters of peace and security despite the barriers and challenges faced. Even with the shrinking of civic space, we see the powerful and positive effects of peacebuilding. Imagine what would be possible with all the space in the world. As a youth-centred network, the A-YAT pledges its availability for further consultation. We cannot do it alone, and neither can you.