PRESIDENT
Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday, said nations must identify and hold to account
sponsors of terror groups such as Boko Haram operating in Nigeria and others
located in the Sahel region of Africa.
Speaking
on peace and security at the opening of the ongoing Fourth European
Union-Africa Summit holding in Brussels, Belgium, he noted that such people
should be held responsible for their actions aimed at destabilising Africa.
The summit
brought together the Heads of State and Government of the EU and the African
continent with the EU and African Union (AU) institutions.
Jonathan noted
that a terror attack on one nation was an attack on others and thanked the EU
and other development partners for their assistance in addressing the menace of
the terror groups.
According
to him, “The weapons of choice of these terror groups are the Small Arms and
Light Weapons (SALW).
“Of
recent, they have acquired the rapid propelled grenades and even surface-to-air
missiles. Where do they get these sophisticated weapons? The total
value of what these terrorists possess as individuals, in terms of what they
wear, where they live cannot buy an assault rifle.
“We all
have the collective responsibility to unearth their sponsors and supporters who
are determined to destabilise Africa. We should hold them responsible and
accountable for their actions.”
Jonathan
added that the issue of peace and security required a holistic and integrated
approach, as peace and development were two sides of the same coin.
He
explained that he organised a summit on “Human Security, Peace and Development:
An Agenda for the 21st Century” during Nigeria’s recent Centenary celebrations
based on the importance that Nigeria attaches to the issue.
Jonathan
recalled that the summit resolved in part, that all countries must continue to
strengthen existing mechanisms for national and international conflict
management, and create new avenues for co-operation within and between peoples
and nations.
Similarly,
he recalled that since 2000, African Union had demonstrated sustained
desire for the development of collective security arrangement among its member
states and its Regional Economic Communities.
He said
the countries had established a security management system and the codification
of standards within Africa’s Peace and Security Architecture which he added,
included the Peace and Security Council, a continental early warning system,
the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force (ASF).
Jonathan
further stated that the union has also subscribed to modalities and action
plans to confront these challenges and the new threat of piracy in some
maritime boundaries and curb the menace of oil theft.
He noted
that in addition to these initiatives, there were organs within the AU with
mandates to strengthen the peace and security architecture.
The
President described the coming into force of the African Charter on Democracy,
Election and Government as a legally binding instrument as a further
re-affirmation of collective resolve at outlawing unconstitutional change of
government in Africa.
Jonathan
added, “Notwithstanding these initiatives, new and emerging threats that
necessitate concerted and holistic focus have emerged. These include political
conflicts that threaten hard-won peace and democracies, and worse still, the
phenomenon of piracy and terrorism