Calls for continued dialogue to mitigate crises in the African Region
Liberia President George Manneh Weah at the 15th Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on the Humanitarian Challenges and pledging Conference in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea said, the African Continent continues to face some of the most complex humanitarian emergencies caused by natural and human-induced disasters that are driven by terrorism, insurgencies and civil conflicts, leading to mass displacements both within and across national borders.
According to him, these circumstances have exacerbated humanitarian needs among the most vulnerable communities, who are already exposed to various risk factors like conflict and environmental degradation.
These risk factors, according to Mr. Weah, have worsened the Continent’s humanitarian demands. Climate change, civil strife, the COVID-19 epidemic, and economic stagnation are all major factors.
More than 114 million African residents in the fifteen worst-affected countries require immediate aid, according to the Liberian leader. At the same time, it’s worth noting that financial response plans have been poorly underfunded to deal with the current issues, and the funding gap between available income and planned expenditures remains enormous.
“If we are to address the potential drivers of conflicts and climate change to confront the current humanitarian challenges, we must implement inclusive and initiative-taking policies in concert with the relevant regional and continental institutions; as well as our development partners”, Mr. Weah recommended.
President Weah stated that the African continent can build resilience policies and responses through regionalism and cross-border connections and that the more action that can be taken on regional and intergovernmental agreements, the more flexible they will be in addressing conflicts and climate change, which are key drivers of complex humanitarian emergencies.
“We are confident that, with the guidance and commitment of Member States, we can jointly implement timely measures to ensure that no person, community, or nation is left behind in areas affected by conflict and climate change, and everyone can look forward to development and prosperity through sustained growth and development. We look forward to continuing to engage the African Union in the coming years as we strengthen the gains we have made together”, Mr. Weah noted.
In accordance with his government’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, which is linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, President Weah promised that Liberia will continue to play a key part in the Union’s affairs and activities.
The Liberian President urged the AU Chairman to maintain the conversation to address African challenges, using the Ukraine-Russia crisis as an example, which has a negative influence on global trade and the economy.
“Humanity is key, during our protracted civil conflict that caused the death and displacement of so many of our citizens, all of you played a part to restore peace to Liberia. Today, Liberia is a post-conflict success story. We thank you for all that you did for us. And so, as a founding member of the African Union, Liberia will give a generous pledge of One Million United States dollars” Mr. Weah to AU.
Photo credit: Executive Mansion
