Talatona - The director of the Multilateral Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), Sara Silva, reaffirmed on Friday in Luanda the importance of multilateralism in conflict resolution.
According to the official, Angola has been engaged in the prevention, mediation and resolution of conflicts on the African continent, especially in the regions of Southern and Central Africa, with particular emphasis on the Great Lakes, taking into account the fundamentals of peace, security, development and human rights.
She reiterated the importance of Angola's cooperation with the UN and regional organisations, pledging to promote a policy of dialogue and tolerance, joining forces in favour of preventing international security and the economic and social progress of peoples.
Sara Silva was speaking at the opening of the International Conference on the Role of the Countries of the Global South in International Mediation and Peacebuilding held as part of the United Nations Day celebrations, a joint initiative between MIREX, the Venâncio de Moura Diplomatic Academy, the UN Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding and the Global South Unit for Mediation at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.
As an example of Angola's dedication to conflict resolution, Sara Silva spoke of the successive tripartite and quadripartite summits held in Luanda in recent years to promote peace and stability, especially in the Great Lakes region.
In terms of conflict mediation, according to the diplomat, at African Union (AU) level Angola has been a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council on three occasions (2008/2009, 2012/2014 and 2018/2020), while at the United Nations, as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, it was in 2002/2003 and 2015/2016.
According to her, conflict prevention and mediation are indispensable tools for maintaining peace and security at a global level, and are more economical and effective than peacekeeping operations, which aim to put an end to armed conflicts once they have occurred.
She also called on the United Nations and international organisations to continue investing in the process of conflict prevention and resolving disputes through peaceful means, ultimately creating a more harmonious world.
Meanwhile, the United Nations resident coordinator in Angola, Zahira Virani, recognised the Angolan government's commitment and dedication to achieving sustainable peace in Africa, reaffirming that Angola has been a nation that has set a remarkable example in the region and the world, having managed to achieve and consolidate peace for more than two decades, an experience that has led it to play an active role as a conflict mediator in the region.
She hopes that the meeting will serve to institutionalise Angola's conflict resolution efforts, an opportunity to strengthen skills in conflict mediation, with a view to moving towards consolidated peace and transforming the lives of people in countries that still suffer the harmful effects of conflict.
One of the speakers at the conference was Ambassador Ismael Martins, who spoke on the topic of "Angola, peace leadership and international mediation, local perspectives for peace building, the Latin American experience and the African continent experience". MAG/DAN/DOJ