AU vows to promote peace, security to boost development

Nairobi, Nov 4 (IANS) The African Union (AU) has vowed to promote peace and security in the continent in order to boost sustainable development.Bankole Adeoye, AU commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, told a forum in Nairobi that it has developed an early warning response mechanism to prevent conflicts from taking root, reports Xinhua news agency."We will not be indifferent in a situation where peace and security in Africa is threatened," Adeoye said during the high-level forum on silencing guns in the new decade.He urged governments to address the structural drivers of instability in the region.The AU official observed that issues of governance, proliferation of weapons as well as high levels of youth unemployment are some of the factors behind instability.He observed that AU has a zero tolerance policy on unconstitutional change of government."No coup is justified and the AU is ready to intervene to take necessary steps to suspend any member state that has unconstitutional change of government," he added.Adeoyo said the AU is committed to the promotion of democracy and good governance so that citizens can benefit from peace dividends.He said the pan-African body is ready to support stakeholders in every country to promote inclusive engagement that will reduce conflict.
--IANS ksk/

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