{"id":12839,"date":"2023-05-08T10:14:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T10:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foretiafoundation.org\/?post_type=mec-events&p=12839"},"modified":"2023-05-29T16:25:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-29T16:25:26","slug":"nkafu-africa-peace-and-security-forum-2023","status":"publish","type":"mec-events","link":"https:\/\/www.foretiafoundation.org\/staging\/event\/nkafu-africa-peace-and-security-forum-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"NKAFU-AFRICA PEACE AND SECURITY FORUM 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Date : June, 21 2023<\/strong>
\nTime : 08:oo am<\/strong> to 07:00 pm<\/strong>
\nVenue : Djeuga Palace Hotel, Yaounde (<\/strong>Onsite Registration<\/em><\/a>)<\/strong>
\nZoom platform (Online Registration<\/em><\/a>)<\/p>\n

Theme :\u00a0Human Security and Strategic Peacebuilding for Sustainable Development in Africa<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Background <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The global incidence of violent conflicts and insecurity is considered one of the most urgent development problems in the world today. \u00a0In theory, most people and institutions around the world welcome and support the vision of security and a violent free world for sustainable peace and sustainable development. Sadly, however, it remains elusive, especially in many parts of Africa that are still inundated with problems of security, violent conflicts, and wars. Cycles of the financial crisis, pandemics such as COVID-19, natural disasters, enduring and escalating violent conflicts and wars, terrorism, injustice, food insecurity, have not only brought havoc to the peace and security of nation-states but have resulted in disastrous consequences for the survival, well-being, and dignity of individuals across national boundaries in Africa and beyond. \u00a0So far, opinions differ regarding the character of progress made to instil peace and security in the African continent, especially by warding off the dark history of militarisation in the face of conflicts from the 1960s and 1980s. Apparently, in embracing the democratisation processes from the 1990s, and taking into consideration the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030; and AU\u2019s Agenda 2063, to \u2018Silence the Guns\u2019; militarisation appears a favoured approach for many African governments in conflicts situations. However, experience in many parts of Africa has revealed that extensive deficits exist in the militaristic approach or again state-centric approach to security and peacebuilding, especially with the increasing asymmetric violent conflicts involving state security forces and violent extremist groups.<\/p>\n

    In addition to the human and financial costs, one of the criticisms that have been raised in the literature about the militaristic approach to managing societal conflict is that it does not address the underlying reasons for why people engaged in violent conflicts in the first place (the epicentre of the conflict). Instead, it focuses on the symptoms (the conflict episode) of much deeper and more complex structural factor that is at the root of the \u2018violent\u2019 conflict. It is therefore not surprising that states emerging from the war in many parts of Africa (and other countries in fragile situations fragile states) also frequently relapse into war. Moreover, in today\u2019s interconnected world, the concept of security extends well beyond the traditional analysis of the military actions\/ state-centric approach to security and diplomatic policies of the nation-state, to embrace the human security concept.<\/p>\n

    Human security is an important component of the global political and development agenda. It encompasses firstly, the protection of individuals as a strategic concern for national as well as international security; secondly, it spells out that the security conditions for people\u2019s development are not bound to traditional matters of national defence, law, and order, but rather encompass all political, economic and social issues enabling a life free from want, fear and humiliation… Human security does not seek to supplant state security, but rather to complement it. Such a holistic approach has the potential of contributing to more resilient societies where people are safe from chronic threats such as abject poverty, hunger, disease, violence, and repression, and protected from sudden and hurtful disruptions in their daily lives.<\/p>\n

    Being strategic in peacebuilding initiatives mean new approaches to increase the prospects for peacebuilding success, which right now hover around 30%, especially in Africa. Thus, in the context of the theme of this forum, strategic peacebuilding is a holistic and conscious effort that covers a broad range of measures implemented in the context of emerging, current, or post-conflict situations in Africa and which are explicitly guided and motivated by a primary commitment to the prevention of violent conflict and the promotion of lasting and sustainable peace and sustainable development. Hence, in developing the theme for this forum, we are motivated by the assumption that if the world nations and leaders collaboratively focus on enabling human security in the peacebuilding and development process, they have a chance of meeting their citizens\u2019 aspirations for security and peace,\u00a0 thereby contributing towards a peaceful and equitable society and by extension also contributing to sustainable development goals (especially SDG 16 which focuses on promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development \u2018for all\u2019 by 2030).<\/p>\n

    Hence, some fundamental questions that will inform the discussions are:<\/p>\n

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    1. What are the pitfalls of the preference by African governments of a purely militaristic\/state centric approach to security in the Continent?<\/li>\n
    2. How can human security and peacebuilding principles be strategically integrated into peacebuilding programming for the effectiveness of peace and development projects?<\/li>\n
    3. \u00a0What role can human security and strategic peacebuilding play in enabling sustainable peace for sustainable development in Africa?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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      1. Objectives of the forum<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The main objective of this Nkafu-Africa Forum is to discuss strategies to advocate and promote the investment in human security and strategic peacebuilding for sustainable peace and development in Africa. More specifically discussions will focus on:<\/p>\n