21 Apr 2015

The Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, has described the recent Forum on Security in Africa as an eye opener and a right step in achieving peace and stability in Africa.

Speaking in an interview on Monday (April 20) upon his arrival from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia where the forum was held, Mr Masisi said African leaders who attended the forum appreciated the nature and complexity of issues surrounding conflicts and attacks on fellow countrymen done under the frontage of faith.

The two-day forum, which attracted over 20 African heads of state and former presidents, dialogued on issues threatening peace and stability on the continent.

However, Mr Masisi said the forum realised that secularism activities were more prominent in states where governments were faith orientated unlike those in secular states such as Botswana, particularly because some groups in the society felt that they were excluded from national developments or believed things were not done in accordance with their religion.

He, therefore, said the meeting, which he also termed as a “learning curve for African leaders,” agreed in principle to work towards accommodating other groups and enhancing a culture of tolerance as well as reaching a common consensus for mutual benefit.

Mr Masisi said Botswana had been able to avoid internal conflicts because government had taken a deliberate move of socio-economic inclusion of all citizens irregardless of political and tribal backgrounds.

He, therefore, said the meeting agreed, with the locally acclaimed concept of social inclusion and acceptance of different organisations, laws that were not repressive and fair distribution of resources.

Former president, Dr Festus Mogae, who also attended this meeting, said secularism and politicised faith that had of recent engulfed the African continent was fuelled by aggrieved minorities and or groups of concerned community members due to exclusion by those in power.

Dr Mogae, who was accredited for good governance during his reign and a recipient of Mo Ibrahim Award, said in such instances the aggrieved usually organised themselves to stage untold atrocities.

Dr Mogae, however, said intellectuals during the forum asserted that some of the faith-based violence was done alongside tribalism lines as the perpetrators might be itching to rule or might feel they were denied land right ownership. He therefore said Africa needed to introspect and avoid mass killing of innocent people.

This forum was an annual meeting hosted by Ethiopia and provided an opportunity for African leaders to exchange views with a number of stakeholders including, academia, international organisations and media on existing and emerging peace and security challenges on the continent.

Former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo was the convener of the meeting while former president of Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa was also in attendance at this meeting, which was held near Lake Tana, third largest lake in Africa. Ends