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M. Ousmane: Address to Africa Summit and Leadership Conference 2019
Written by H.E. Mahamane Ousmane, President of Niger (1993-1996)
Friday, June 7, 2019
Address to Africa Summit and Leadership Conference 2019
Madame Moon, Your excellencies,
I am speaking on the important issue of leadership, leadership for peace, unity and sustainable development in Africa. This international conference addresses relevant and current issues. Indeed, today in Johannesburg, this leadership conference is specifically about Africa, our continent.
Of course, in this time of multifaceted crisis, which is shaking the whole world, in this time of the challenging transition from a bipolar world that emerged since the Yalta conference for half a century, when the world was practically divided in two, and then the Cold War followed. This transition from a bipolar world to a multipolar world thanks to the digital revolution is transforming the whole world into a small global village.
All people, however distant they may be are now feeling closer. At a time when our continent, the cradle of humanity, is unfortunately at the bottom of the list of developing nations, in my opinion, it is relevant and important and even urgent to question and address the appropriate issue: How to build a peaceful, prosperous Africa that is centered on universal values?
Conflicts are multiplying and diversifying and new types of conflicts are emerging. I will not talk about the case of my country or of that of my brother and neighbor, who are seriously threatened from the point of view of security, with religious ethnic and other connotations, but when we look at the whole world we realize that all continents have practically the same situation.
Peace seems to be leaving families and seems to be leaving rural and urban communities. Peace also seems to be leaving religious communities and economic communities as well. Look at what is happening in Europe: The United Kingdom, Brexit, etc. Peace seems to be leaving the political communities as well.
It is necessary to examine the situations, initiatives and projects envisaged by the Universal Peace Federation. There are 7 main areas that require very particular attention. As a Sub-Saharan, I will start with the issue of water, because I know that water is life. Some people think that the Third World War could have as its origin the battle for water. Water for production, for food, for agriculture, for drinking, water for life, for survival, but also the major theme to which UPF attaches great importance, education: Family education, formal education, vocational education, and technical training, research and innovation, etc.
There is also the environmental issue. All these issues that are being discussed in various international forums, on climate change and others deserve special attention. There’s also the question of employment. Then there is the issue that has stirred up the whole world in the last 6 or 12 months, the issue of migration: International migration from Africa to Europe, from the Middle East to Europe, from Europe to other continents.
There is the concern for employment, which is underlying this. There is the question of energy, which has always shaken humanity: coal, oil and now nuclear. The great underlying conflicts between East and West, when you analyze and search, you will see that there is the question of the struggle for energy control, either to defend yourself or to protect yourself against supposed attacks, and so on.
You have crises that are occurring everywhere, due to inadequate infrastructure in the various communities. Finally, there is the fundamental question of equity, of justice, which conditions the question of peace.
I will conclude by saying that it is necessary to look at these different situations and especially at the different projects and initiatives undertaken by UPF under the initiative and the impulse and leadership of Mother Moon, so that concrete actions and explicit, specific projects are made towards the grassroots communities for education and the other issues. I would like to thank you for your kind attention. Once again, good luck to the UPF.
Thank you.
To go to the Africa Summit and Leadership Conference 2019 Schedule page, click here.