APA-Rabat (Morocco) – This was at the 8th edition of the APSACO organised by the PCNS at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat.
At the opening in Rabat on Monday 10 June of the 8th Annual Conference on Peace and Security in Africa (APSACO) organised by the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), the former Guinean prime minister
(2008-2010), Kabine Komara, stressed the importance of finding African solutions to the continent’s conflicts.
During the first panel on “Mechanisms and approaches to mediation in internal conflicts,” Komara shared his experiences and those of African leaders in resolving conflicts, highlighting the crucial role of traditional and cultural methods.
“When there was a conflict in the neighbourhood, he was listened to,” he said, referring to former
Guinean president Sekou Toure, renowned for his role as a respected mediator in West Africa.
Komara illustrated the importance of cultural mediation with an anecdote from 1975, when a conflict between Burkina Faso and Mali was resolved thanks to the intervention of a Guinean singer-songwriter at a cultural evening.
“He gave the floor to this singer, who addressed each of the two heads of state and said to them: we cannot
understand that you, who are descended from people of great reputation, of peace and understanding, can wage war against each other and spill the blood of your compatriots,” he recounted.
The former PM also highlighted the decisive role played by women in resolving the civil war in Liberia. He described how the Mano River Women’s Union, made up of women of different ages and backgrounds, had succeeded where official negotiations had failed for nearly eight years. “Women from the three countries created an organisation called the Mano River Women’s Union (MRU). They studied the psychological profile of each of the three heads of state and used their influence to bring them to the negotiating table,” he explained.
Komara also criticised certain methods used by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to manage political crises. “You cannot sanction a country and quarantine the head of state by refusing to talk to him. You have to open discussions”, he said, adding that ECOWAS should “send mediators who understand the context very well, who understand the dynamics, who understand the interests”.
Jean-Herve Jezequel, Director of the Sahel Project at the International Crisis Group, examined the continuing instability in the Sahel, highlighting the reasons for the failure to contain violence despite the resources mobilised to stabilise the region. He attributed this to an over-reliance on military responses and insufficient political dialogue. Jezequel emphasised the need for locally-led solutions, stressing the role of women, traditional and religious leaders in revitalising peace-building efforts.
Ajay Sethi, Senior Advisor at the UN Mediation Support Unit, focused on the challenges of capacity building at the local, national and regional levels. He emphasised the importance of financial sustainability for peace processes and argued for a tailored approach that respects the unique cultural and political contexts of each
region.
For his part, Lassina Zerbo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (2021-2022), stressed the important but often overlooked contributions of women to peace and security efforts. He called for a symbiosis of traditional and modern mediation methods, respecting cultural frameworks while integrating contemporary practices. Zerbo stressed the need for coherent and inclusive mediation approaches to ensure lasting peace in Africa.
Kabine Komara called for a reassessment of mediation and sanction approaches in West Africa, stressing the need to adapt methods to current realities. “I am convinced that if we revisit our history and tradition, there are ways of responding to certain negotiations and conflicts,” he concluded.
This annual conference, organised by the PCNS, brings together experts, leaders and academics to discuss the challenges and opportunities for peace and security in Africa, putting forward solutions rooted in the continent’s local realities.
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