By Valentim de Carvalho
Africa-Press – Angola. Angola’s contribution to the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, based on its experience of building peace and national reconciliation, is increasingly notable in recent years, particularly in Africa.
The country’s experience in matters of this kind is recognized at various levels and has been fundamental, above all, in actions linked to the pacification of the Great Lakes Region and in peacekeeping missions at regional level.
As president of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (CIRGL), Angola registered several notable diplomatic initiatives, such as integration in efforts for lasting peace in Mozambique.
Likewise, the Angolan authorities have been very active in seeking inclusion and political stability in the Central African Republic (CAR), as well as mediating in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
Its engagement in this mission, with priority for dialogue, supports its position as a political partner to be taken into account for consultation and resolution in matters of conflict management, making the country a “turntable” in favor of pacification.
In fact, it is no coincidence that the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, was distinguished, last year, with the title of champion of peace and reconciliation on the continent, by the African Union (AU), a distinction that values his personal commitment and the Angola’s great effort towards building a more pacified continent.
Recognition across borders
In fact, the role played by Angola in the political stabilization process has also deserved attention in other geographies of the world, outside the continent.
Recently, the country was referenced in a transcendental way, with the then outgoing leader of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIP), the Portuguese Duarte Pacheco, praising the experience of the Angolan Government in achieving effective peace, after long years of conflict, and calling for other states in the world to follow Angola’s example.
The member of the largest parliamentary tribune in the world was speaking on the occasion of the 147th General Assembly of the IPU, which Luanda hosted, last October, under the motto “parliamentary action in favor of peace, justice and strong institutions”, in which more of a thousand deputies, including some presidents of the 179 parliaments of this organization.
The parliamentarian praised the way in which Angolans knew how to conduct their process, to the point of achieving and definitively sealing peace and national reconciliation, which have already lasted more than two decades, and predicted that nations at war around the world and/or people in conflict , from the same country, quickly reach an understanding, finding lasting political-diplomatic solutions.
Reinforcing the culture of peace
Meanwhile, Angola’s contribution comes at a time when, unfortunately, Africa continues to face serious security challenges, with permanent conflicts, the spread of terrorism, acts of unconstitutional changes of governments, consequent risks of humanitarian crises and violations of human rights.
To create new platforms for understanding and reinforce the message of the need to make the world, in particular the continent, more pacified, Angola hosts, for the third time, the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace – Luanda Biennial 2023.
It is, therefore, a space for a comprehensive approach to the issue of preventing violence and resolving conflicts, in addition to analyzing topics linked to education, science, economics and climate change.
For three days (22 to 24), hundreds of participants will seek to explore this platform as a privileged means for reflection and understanding on the main paths to follow to achieve peace and reconciliation, as well as manage and resolve problems, with a view to stability and the development of the continent.
Representatives from Governments, civil society, the artistic and scientific community and members of international organizations have as a common denominator, for a meeting that aims to be as consensual as possible, the encouragement of cultural exchange, dialogue between generations and the promotion of gender equality .
The event, co-organized by the Government of Angola, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), aims to promote actions that contribute to strengthening the Pan-African movement and maintaining a culture of peace and non-violence on the continent and in the world.
Its objectives are “anchored” in the aspirations of the African Union, that is, in the commitment to guarantee an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa, in which its children assume a supportive position in the ongoing processes of economic and social transformation.
The forum will feature six panels, which will address the themes “young people, actors in promoting the culture of peace and social transformations on the continent”, “technology and education as tools to achieve gender equality”, “the role of women in peace processes , security and development” and “the process of transforming educational systems: innovative practices and financing in the African context”.
The agenda also reserves matters related to “the challenges and opportunities of the integration of the African continent and the prospects for economic growth” and “climate change: ethical challenges, impacts, adaptation and vulnerability”.
As for culture, visits to museums and other historical places are planned for the third and final day of the Biennale, with emphasis on the Agostinho Neto Memorial, Palácio de Ferro and the national museums of Anthropology and Military History.
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