Africa-Press – Botswana. Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) will not take sides whenever there is conflict but will amicably address conflicts.
CISSA Executive Secretary, Ms Zainab Ali Kotoko said this when addressing the media on the sidelines of the ongoing 18th Ordinary Session of the CISSA conference Wednesday.
She said diplomacy did not have permanent friends but interest in nurturing and developing solutions towards harnessing common interests.
“When two nations are in conflict as it is the case with Russia and Ukraine, there is nothing wrong with either of the CISSA members continuing with the beneficial ties they have long established before such a conflict ensued as long as it is for the benefit of the people,” she said.
She further explained that it would only be wrong to take sides in a conflict that one had not started, adding that the gathering provided security bodies an opportunity to advice governments accordingly in dealing with such situations.
Therefore, Ms Kotoko said what was reported to be happening in South Africa, where the country was said to be engaged in training activities with Russia must not be viewed as something wrong as long as it related to their bilateral relations and did not by any chance fuel the ongoing conflict.
She said even though intelligence agencies carried out their activities in secret, they were bound to meet each other and share ideas on best practices and improve in sniffing any security threats.
She said as stated in the theme: Food Security, Conflict and Peace in Africa, the conference would focus on conflicts in the continent that were likely to affect peace and food production in the continent.
Ms Kotoko said the Botswana meet, was the first CISSA conference post COVID-19.
“COVID-19 proved to be one of the threats to food security in the continent as farmers were not able to actively cultivate their farms and look after their livestock and any other activities related to food production,” she said.
She added that the ensuing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the global recession, level of illiteracy in the continent were some of the challenges likely to hinder food production.
Director General of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), Brigadier (Rtd) Peter Magosi emphasised the importance of CISSA in dealing with security threats in the African Union (AU) member states either political, socio-economic, military or financial.
Brigadier Magosi said at the end of the conference the host country would take over the Chairmanship of CISSA and coordinate activities of the organ for a year.
Brigadier Magosi said intelligence and security organs were mandated to bridge conflicts between nations and bring peace and stability adding ‘they must be strategic in what they do, in order to address leaders and the AU accordingly’.
He admitted that CISSA member states were affected by conflicts that were unique.
However, he said, coming together through such forums would help them learn from one another and arrive at common solutions.
Brigadier Magosi highlighted that one of the issues being addressed through the advice of the intelligence and security organs of AU was the ongoing conflict in Mozambique.
He said the issue was addressed internally first by the government of Mozambique, but a SADC peace keep mission was roped in through the advice of CISSA when the conflict appeared to be too much for the country.
He added that intelligence organs were working tirelessly to calm threats and any other conflicts that were likely to disrupt peace and result in food security in the continent.
Brigadier Magosi added that the CISSA conference would dwell more on threats to food security.
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