The 7th edition of the Annual African Peace and Security Conference (APSACO) was recently held in Rabat, Morocco. Organized by the Policy Center for the New South, its theme was “Post-conflict reconstruction in Africa”. During this conference, Ms. Anny Modi, a Congolese women’s rights activist, spoke during a panel on the involvement of women and young people in peace processes.
Ms. Modi stressed the importance of putting in place preventive approaches to avoid the escalation of armed conflicts, whether at the community, cross-border or regional level. According to her, it is essential to involve young people and women, because it is often young people who are recruited by armed groups. Their economic vulnerability is exploited, so it is essential to train them in peace education, to keep them occupied and to direct them towards decent jobs. Similarly, women, although they are often victims of violence during conflicts, also play a role as mediators and can contribute to the prevention of conflicts if they are strengthened.
APSACO brings together experts from different fields and professions to promote high-level conversations on peace and security in Africa. It provides a platform to analyze the continent’s peace and security structures and institutions, with a focus on current and emerging challenges. The objective of this edition was to deepen knowledge on post-conflict reconstruction in Africa, focusing on topics such as collective security, conflict prevention, African solidarity in times of financial crisis and global partnership. to promote post-conflict reconstruction.
Ms Modi underlined that if conflicts break out, it is essential to reach lasting peace agreements. For this, it is essential to involve women and value their contribution by including them in the negotiations. It also insists on the importance of regional solidarity and the pooling of efforts to reach satisfactory peace agreements for all.
The Policy Center for the New South, organizer of the conference, is a Moroccan think tank that aims to improve public economic and social policies in Africa. It contributes to the promotion of sustainable and balanced development in the region.
In conclusion, the involvement of women and youth in peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa is essential. Their voices must be heard and their role recognized in order to achieve lasting agreements and real peace. The Policy Center for the New South plays an important role in organizing conferences such as APSACO, which help to promote dialogue and the exchange of ideas on crucial issues for the African continent