Harare, (New Ziana) – President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), Chief Fortune Charumbira has called for a unified approach by the African Union (AU) and other stakeholders to resolve the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Speaking at the Political Meeting of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) Platform in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, Charumbira highlighted the fragmented nature of current interventions, which he argued are undermining peace efforts.
The AGA-APSA Platform established in 2012 as a “platform for dialogue between the various stakeholders” who are mandated to promote good governance, human rights and strengthen democracy, peace and security in Africa.
The members of the Platform meet at the Technical and Political levels twice a year.
This year the meeting is being held under the theme “Sudan’s costly war towards a peaceful resolution: How can relevant AU organs/institutions/RECs/RMs improve coordinated intervention.”
Charumbira expressed frustration with the lack of synergy among various initiatives aimed at resolving the conflict in Sudan.
“This high-level intervention is established today and another mushrooms tomorrow, and some of them even work at cross-purposes. There is need for a structured governance framework to harmonize these efforts and ensure meaningful results,” he said.
Charumbira identified external interference as a major obstacle to resolving the Sudanese conflict and urged the AU to confront them, emphasizing that these players are well-known and need to be addressed directly.
He criticized the sidelining of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in peacekeeping efforts, despite its mandate under Article 3(5) of the PAP Protocol to “Promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.”
Despite this exclusion, Charumbira said the PAP has proactively created a platform for Sudanese voices, including refugees displaced by the conflict now residing in South Africa.
He called for the inclusion of the PAP in AU-led peacekeeping and conflict resolution initiatives, emphasizing the potential of Parliamentary Diplomacy to play a crucial role in addressing conflicts across the continent.
Charumbira called on the African Union Commission to ensure that all relevant organs are actively involved in intervention efforts, fostering a collaborative approach to peace and stability in Africa.
New Ziana
