{"id":23251,"date":"2021-03-01T01:40:50","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T06:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=23251"},"modified":"2021-03-01T01:40:50","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T06:40:50","slug":"english-bulletin-march-1-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=23251","title":{"rendered":"English bulletin March 1, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFRICAN UNION AND CULTURE OF PEACE<\/p>\n

<\/big><\/em><\/center><\/p>\n

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\nThe African Union (AU) increasingly promotes a culture of peace on the continent.<\/p>\n

\nAs described in a new book by Kathryn Nash<\/a>, the African Union has developed, since its beginning at the turn of the century, a conflict management policy that was not available to its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity. Currently, the AU deploys monitors, authorizes peace support operations, and actively engages to resolve internal conflicts.<\/p>\n

\nThe 34th Session of the African Union Summit ended on 7 February 2021 with the new Chair, President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), outlining an ambitious agenda<\/a>, including combating climate change, expediting regional integration, investing in human capital, promoting Africa\u2019s culture, empowering women and youth, and accelerating the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).<\/p>\n

\nOne of the priorites mentioned by President Tshisekedi is the \u201cSilencing the Guns\u201d campaign, which has been extended to 2030, and now consists of a roadmap and practical steps to achieve its objectives. There will be a two-year periodic review of implementation.<\/p>\n

\nAs part of Youth Silencing the Guns Campaign, the Office of the Youth Envoy (OYE) in collaboration with partners has recently provided grants to four youth projects<\/a>:
\n– Silencing the Climate Crisis Award to project Ibn El Bitar (Algeria)
\n– Silencing Gender-Based Violence Award to #ShutItAllDown movement (Namibia)
\n– Silencing Corruption Award
\nto Citizens Gavel Foundation for Social Justice (Nigeria)
\n– Silencing Youth Unemployment Award
\nto Garden of Hope Foundation (Kenya)<\/p>\n

\nAnother recent initiative of the AU Office of the Youth Envoy has been the virtual meetings of women activists in the five regions of Africa, which resulted in a Africa Young Women\u2019s Manifesto<\/a>. The Manifesto is a comprehensive document addressing all aspects of the culture of peace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\nThe African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)<\/a>, mentioned as a priority for the AU, began operation on January 1, 2021. This may become an important contribution to the culture of peace on the continent as it may transform conflicts across the continent by reducing the incentives for participating in conflicts, via the creation of jobs. AfCFTA has the potential to promote women\u2019s equality in Africa as stated in remarks to the AU Summit by outgoing President Cyril Ramaphosa<\/a>. He stated that state parties would report annually on progress made in strengthening women\u2019s participation in continental trade matters. \u201cThis includes tailor made financial products for women with reliable means to save, access, transfer and borrow money.” He called for a \u201cwomen-led Peace Forum to be attended by Heads of State and Government and to implement decisions of the Peace and Security Council to institutionalise the office of the special envoy on women, peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n

\nIn his remarks to the AU summit, incoming President Felix Tshisekedi also confirmed <\/a> the AU participation in the 2nd Biennale of Luanda on the Culture of Peace to be held in Angola in September, 2021 (see the many articles on this in CPNN<\/a>). The strategic objective of the Biennale <\/a> is to promote a peaceful and prosperous Africa through the defense and encouragement of actions that prevent conflicts in the management of national and cross-border natural resources on the African continent, as well as to educate a generation of young Africans as agents of peace, stability and development. The theme of the event this year will be: \u201cArt, Culture and Heritage: Levers to build the Africa we want\u201d.<\/p>\n

\nIn her analysis of the African Union<\/a>, Kathryn Nash Nash argues that the devlopment of its conflict management policy largely happened within the African context, and international pressure was not a determinant factor in its evolution. If the AU continues its independent development, it has a chance to escape from the culture of war that was imposed by the old colonial powers and that is maintained by the economic exploitation of Africa by the empires of Europe, United States and China. The development of the new continental free trade zone can help protect this independence and enable an Africa in peace.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY
\n
\n
\n
\nBook review: African peace: Regional norms from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION
\n
\n\"\"
\n
\nCentral Africa: Ambassador Sita Jos\u00e9 Analyzes Luanda Biennial With ECCAS Commissioner
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
\n
\n
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\nNew UNEP synthesis provides blueprint to urgently solve planetary emergencies and secure humanity\u2019s future
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION
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\n
\n
\nColombia: Cultural spaces for the construction of peace
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
In addition to articles, we list virtual events for the culture of peace: Click here for upcoming events<\/a>. Last month we registered 23 virtual events<\/a>.
\n<\/center><\/p>\n
 <\/tr>\n <\/tr>\n\n
\n

HUMAN RIGHTS
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\n
\n
\n
\nNew ICC ruling \u2018opens the door\u2019 for justice in occupied Palestine \u2013 Independent UN expert
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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WOMEN\u2019S EQUALITY
\n
\n
\n
\n\u2018Women and girls belong in science\u2019 declares UN chief\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY
\n
\n
\nG5 Sahel: Heads of State announce Prize for the promotion of the culture of peace
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE
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\n
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\nBrazil: Culture of Peace in schools will be the subject of a webinar on February 18th
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AFRICAN UNION AND CULTURE OF PEACE The African Union (AU) increasingly promotes a culture of peace on the continent. As described in a new book by Kathryn Nash, the African Union has developed, since its beginning at the turn of the century, a conflict management policy that was not available to its predecessor, the Organization … Continue reading English bulletin March 1, 2021<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,85],"tags":[70],"class_list":["post-23251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-d-democratic","category-d-disarmament","tag-english-bulletin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23251\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}