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Vice President Guy Scott has said Africa should take charge of solving her own problems as opposed to depending on the United Nations commissions and other international community to settle conflicts in the continent.
Dr. Scott said members of the Great Lakes Region should help each other in resolving conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and South Sudan where there are disputes.
He said the region can only develop if there was peace in member countries so that business can be conducted thereby alleviating poverty and creating employment for citizen.
He said all these should be promoted by African countries who should not keep waiting for solutions from the UN commissions.
Speaking in an interview shortly after the closure of the summit of the heads of state and government of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in Luanda in Angola, Dr. Scott said the regional organisation has made fair progress in resolving problems if
member states that have disputes.
He explained that Zambia, being a member of the Great Lakes Region, has committed itself to helping other countries in order to end violence which hinders development not only in the affected countries but in the whole region.
The Vice President disclosed that the summit of heads of state and government’s discussion was about finding ways of restoring peace in countries where there are disputes.
And Zambia’s Defence Minister Edgar Lungu noted there was need for peace to be restored in the region so that trade can be enhanced.
Mr. Lungu said trade would lead to national development in all the member countries in the region.
He stated that without peace no development can be recorded in any nation as there could be no king of business.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Wylbur Simuusa disclosed that the summit has accepted all the recommendations the inter-ministerial committee meeting submitted about the peace and stability of affected nations and the budget proposals.
Mr. Simuusa revealed that the most pressing issue which came out strongly in the summit was that of how the regional organisation should handle the remaining negative forces in the eastern DRC and the dispute in South Sudan.
He said the summit discovered that problem in South Sudan was more of political nature and that it should be handled politically.
Mr. Simuusa has since condemned the violence in that country.
Meanwhile, Mr. Simuusa disclosed that governments of Zambia and Angola will soon hold a Joint Permanent Commission to look at how the problems of people who have been arrested by the Angolan government after crossing the borders illegally could be resolved.
He said the two countries will strive to keep enjoying the cordial relations that exist between them hence the need to resolve problems of illegal crossing of borders by citizens.
Dr. Scott, who was attending the summit on behalf of President Michael Sata, visited the Zambian Embassy in Angola before leaving for Lusaka yesterday.
The fifth summit of International Conference on the Great Lakes Region was held under the theme, "Let us promote peace, security, stability and development in the Great Lakes Region."
