How African Peace Facility (APF) missions fit into the SDG implementation and the UN Secretary General’s Initiative on Action for Peacekeeping ?
- Interview with Mariarosaria Iorio, Political Analyst
The APF missions fit the work done by the United Nations together with the European Union and the African Union toward the achievement of the Sustainable Developemnt Goal 16 that reads as follows: « to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels ».
Joint efforts are made to stabilize countries where fragile states face the challenge of creating stable and inclusive institutions. These efforts are key in the fight against discriminatory and arbitrary decision-making. Stability of the insitutions together with the peaceful environement are key elements to favour sustainable economic and political processes. Political and dialogue-based solutions to conflicts are the basis for sustainable development.
Q: We often hear about peace and stability. How do you see the reality on the ground?
No economic development is indeed possible without peace and stability. Although, this principle seems basic, in reality in many countries unstability and unpredicatbility of the institutions is becoming more and more common. Thus, putting in danger the efforts made towards income creation and environment protection.
Peace and stability are lost in many cases because of extreme poverty and exclusion of segments of society from the decision-taking processes. Conflicts can stay latent for many years, and suddendly erupt. The struggle to have equal access to rights and resources is one of the main, if not the main, reason for conflict. An integrated response is needed, namely including access to employment and income generation together with peace keeping initiatives to build and maintain peace and stability.
Q: What is your assessment and forward- looking vision for the future of peace and security?
Collective commitment to the Women, Peace and Security agenda will be highly prioritized. The full participation of women in peace keeping operations will actively help the achievement of the stability and peace sustainable goal 16.
Peace keepers will have to find their legitimacy among civilians in fragile states. Only by mobilizing support and confidence in local environements these missions will be seen as useful. More accountability will be demanded in the future to make peace keeping missions credible. The future of peace is of global concern.
The multipolar world brings new challenges.
We will have to collectively face the challenge of peace and stability as a tool for prosperity and innovation in the world.
