AU-WB project to promote peace in Africa

Thursday, 04 February 2010

AU Chairperson Jean Ping

The African Union and the World Bank are combining efforts to promote innovative approaches to achieving long lasting peace, economic development, and security in conflict-affected countries through collaboration of two flagship projects: The African Year of Peace and Security and the World Development Report 2011 on conflict, security and development.

At a joint panel discussion during the 14th AU Summit in Addis Ababa on ‘Securing Development - Regional Initiatives in the 21st Century', World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, were joined on February 2, 2010 by Surin Pitsuwan (Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Donald Kaberuka (President of the African Development Bank) to discuss past lessons and future opportunities for regional initiatives to address conflict. A second event on today focuses on the World Development Report's main themes.

Chairperson Ping declared that "addressing the challenges of peace and security in the continent requires African leadership, because without such leadership, there will be no ownership and sustainability; because we understand the problems far better than those who come from far away; because we know which solutions will work, and how we can get there; and because, fundamentally, these problems are ours, and we will live with their consequences".

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