Africa-Press – Botswana. The 18th Ordinary Session of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) conference is expected to focus on food security as well as conflict and peace in Africa.
The conference that kicked off yesterday and will end Saturday, will also mark Botswana’s resumption of the CISSA chairmanship through the DIS director general, Brigadier (Rtd.) Peter Magosi.
Giving an overview of the conference through Radio Botswana’s Masaasele programme on Wednesday, Brigadier Magosi said the conference would bring together heads of intelligence and security services of Africa to deliberate on the food security outlook of the continent.
“CISSA is concerned with what could be done to bring peace in Africa and increase food production. Security challenge has the potential to affect human beings and even deter their daily activities aimed at improving livelihoods such as farming and ultimately affect the economy,” he said.
He said while CISSA played an advisory role to national leaders on issues of security, security organs were equally concerned by the prevailing shortage of food in most parts of Africa, taking into account areas prone to conflicts.
He said CISSA was committed to engaging its members through such gatherings where possible solutions to prevailing challenges would be made.
“CISSA must come up with recommendations that would help the Africa Union in improving food production and reduce the implications of conflicts in the lives of the people, he said, noting that at the end of the conference, CISSA would forward a report to the AU General Assembly with recommendations aimed at addressing security threats.
He indicated that SADC was currently united in terrorism fight, predominantly in Mozambique, a situation that had moved people out of the production areas, therefore reducing food production.
He said shortage of food was a result of among others prevailing conflicts as people could not freely engage in agricultural practice without fear of security threats.
Brig. Magosi said the role of security organs was to bring peace in and between countries. “Where there is tension we act in order to facilitate dialogue that will result in peace,” said Brig. Magosi.
He said ascending the seat of CISSA chairmanship was a testimony to the fact that the country had been an active participant of the committee and that had done enough in contributing to peace in the continent.
He said the country had over the years contributed towards nurturing and restoring peace in the world and was determined to continue with such spirit.
He said in the recent past, the country was given the responsibility of chairing the SADC organ troika on defence and security.
Brig. Magosi said the conference would be attended by observers from over 20 countries from outside Africa such as Europe and America among others.
Meanwhile, DIS public relations and protocol director, Mr Edward Robert, indicated that the conference was held after every two years and the host took over as the new chair of the organ.
Mr Robert said Botswana was taking over from Egypt as chair.
In view of the theme: Food Security, Conflict and Peace in Africa, he said the conference would primarily dwell on measures that calms conflict to improve food production in Africa.
Meanwhile, a press release from DIS says CISSA is a 51 member state organ conceived as a mechanism for dialogue, study, analysis, consulting, concerting and adopting common strategies towards common security challenges among intelligence and security organs in the member countries of the African Union.
The conference, as a result, is expected to provide recommendations on the practical implementation of solutions against Africa’s myriad of security challenges, particularly food insecurity.
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