Experts: Africa’s foreign policy decisions weak on research

Africa’s decisions on security and reconstruction of war-ravaged regions could be better if leaders banked on research.

Experts gathering in Nairobi last week said the continental decision makers, usually officials in the ministries of foreign affairs, defence or trade, should invest in research to help them make decisions that are amenable to realities on the groups.

The experts, from ten countries, from fields of security, international trade and foreign policy gathered in Nairobi last week to assess Africa’s latest problems and the geopolitical threats the continent faces.

Ms Elizabeth Mutunga, the Head of Governance, Peace and Security programme at regional trading bloc, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said policy and security interventions should be based on what research says.

“Whether it is conflict prevention, conflict management or post-conflict reconstruction, our programmes have mostly been guided by research,” said Ms Mutunga at the opening session of the conference, on Thursday, organised by local professional association  for international affairs and diplomacy, International Relations Society of Kenya (IRSK) and sponsored by Comesa and the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD).

COMESA is a trading bloc that also encompasses five different regional blocs in Africa, including countries from southern Africa, eastern and northern parts of the continent. Ms Mutunga said that in spite of being a commerce-oriented bloc, decisions of the policy makers have often involved finding out the economic cost of conflict and security threats for member states.

“We believe that given the current global environment which, for our continent and region, has manifested in an increase of terrorism and violent extremism, a rise in unconstitutional changes of government and other expressions of competition, it is time again to reassess our interventions,” she said.

For Africa, the target of ending violence was supposed to be met in 2020, under a programme called Silencing the Guns. It was never met and the African Union admitted that lack of capacity and sometimes weak solutions to conflicts led to a relapse or failed peace missions.

The AU today speaks of African solutions to African problems. But experts at the Annual IRSK Conference said solutions must also be based on local realities.

 “We must question if peace and security programmes are fit for purpose’ said Ms Mutunga during the international relations conference,” Ms Mutunga.

Dr Vasu Goundan, Executive Director for ACCORD said Africa’s external threats mean the continent is facing multiple challenges to deal with at the same time.

According to Dr Goundan, artificial intelligence, climate change, infrastructure gaps and the youth bulge present both risks as well as opportunities for the continent.

“Time is running out for Africa. Climate change poses an existential crisis  for Africa. Second, the threat of a potential nuclear conflagration whose knock on effects will affect economies across the world will have a devastating effect in Africa and Artificial intelligence.

“Artificial intelligence is a huge opportunity  and a danger for Africa. Finally. In Africa, we have rapid  urbanisation without industrialisation. Urbanization in Africa is not coupled with industrialisation like it happened in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The growth of our population is a huge challenge for us in Africa. If we don’t reverse this in the next two decades, we will see a lot more destabilization in Africa,” he said.

His organisation is based in south Africa but has used local solutions such as encouraging peacemakers to help resolve local conflicts across the continent.

Officials say gatherings like the IRSK Annual Conference will help prepare talking points for government officials to learn realities on peace, security, stability and development of the region, according Dr Kizito Sabala, one of the organisers.

Other key speakers included former African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson Erastus Mwencha now Chairman of Africa Capacity Building Foundation; Anthony Okara, Special Ambassador for the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, Rose Makena, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) and UNEP, Ms Caroline Vicini, Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya, Ms Betty Sungura-Nyabuto, CEO of National Gender and Equality Commission, and Prof Peter Kagwanja, President of Africa Policy Inistute in Nairobi.