UN Security Council Calls For Enhanced Efforts To Improve Capacity Building In Africa

The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for more coordinated approach among all relevant partners, in particular through enhanced efforts to improve capacity building, in addressing conflict prevention, peacebuilding and other challenges in Africa.

In a presidential statement presented by Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations and the Security Council president for August, the 15-member council recognized the need to step up capacity-building support to African countries in a comprehensive, inclusive, adaptive and targeted manner, with measures tailored to the specific conditions of each country and region.

The council emphasized the importance of respecting the ownership and leadership of African countries, and supporting their capacity to improve the rule of law, strengthen national institutions, build governance, and promote and protect human rights, among other objectives.

It stressed the need of sharing best practices and providing financial support on promoting inclusive and effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, including those related to the release and reintegration of children formerly associated with armed forces or armed groups, and reforming the security sector in post conflict environments for the consolidation of peace, stability and common security.

While underlining the need for effective implementation of its sanctions measures as a tool for achieving peace and stability in Africa, the Security Council expressed its readiness to review, adjust and terminate, when appropriate, its sanctions regimes, taking into account the evolution of the situation on the ground and the need to minimize unintended adverse humanitarian effects.