Intensify dialogue to realise peaceful coexistence, EALA urges
ARUSHA: THE East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to intensify dialogue as a catalyst for peaceful coexistence, development and prosperity for all at global and regional levels.
This was revealed by the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker, Mr Joseph Ntakirutimana when he delivered his speech at the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly meeting in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday.
The press statement shared to the media by the Senior Public Relations Officer (SPRO) of EALA in Arusha, Mr Nicodemus Bior revealed that Mr Ntakirutimana reminded his fellow parliamentarians that to every conflict, there are two sides, thus the best alternative is to engage in dialogue as a catalyst for peaceful coexistence.
He said that if the conflicting sides know the causes, then they can pursue protracted initiatives to end them. According to him, peaceful co-existence spurs development, prosperity for all, enhanced security and absence of conflict and anarchy.
He said that the treaties after major revolutions in Europe and Americas including the Berlin Conference, the League of Nations, the United Nations and its institutions such as the General Assembly, the Security Council and the agencies, and strong regional economic communities like the EU, EAC, ECOWAS, SADC are key in promoting prosperity, security, rule of law, and the conditions necessary for communities to realize their socioeconomic potential.
“Armed conflict continues to afflict many parts of our world, including the East African region particularly in great lakes’ region.
We are talking of DRC (the Democratic Republic of Congo) surrounding countries like Somalia and Sudan. Clearly, the conflicts are resource based mostly because of scarcity, greed, the desire for control, economic inequality and discrimination of marginalized groups,” said Mr Ntakirutimana.
He added “Sadly again, one can trace the root of such conflicts to major world powers whose desire it is to plunder resources while the local citizens fight against each other to sustain them.”
In addition, he said that as parliamentarians, have the duty to take advantage of establishing specialised caucuses to empower special interest and marginalized groups like women, men, youth and persons with disabilities.
Speaking about the East African Legislative Assembly, Mr Ntakirutimana said that their work has been cut out because the region aspires to be a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable and politically united East Africa
“We have in place laws, manuals and policies that seek to prevent conflicts, such as the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security, EAC Regional Strategy for Peace and Security and the EAC Protocol on Defense.
We also have in place mechanisms for the establishment of a standby force to intervene in partner states with conflicts,” he said.
He also affirmed that EALA is aware that sustainable peace cannot be attained until people feel safe, trust each other and capable of holding their governments accountable to guarantee their protection and accord them a peaceful and secure environment to live, reside, trade, and travel freely.
