The Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security, scheduled to start on October 24, will host the presidents of Angola, the Cabo Verde Islands and Guinea-Bissau. If the theme of this eighth edition is « Africa in the face of exogenous shocks: challenges of stability and sovereignty », the war in Ukraine should remind the leaders of the continent of the urgency of reducing the dependencies of their countries abroad.Scheduled for October 24 and 25, the 8th edition of the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security will have a particular Portuguese-speaking and especially West African focus.It will be chaired by the presidents of Angola, JoãoLourenço, Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves, and Guinea-Bissau, UmaroSissocoEmbaló.Similar to last year with the presence of Cyril Ramaphosa, Mohamed Bazoum and UmaroSissocoEmbaló again.Not to mention the presence of foreign ministers such as that of Turkey and perhaps Saudi Arabia.And other experts on defence and security issues.This year’s theme is: « Africa Facing Exogenous Shocks: Challenges to Stability and Sovereignty. »The war in Ukraine is a reminder of the continent’s vulnerability to exogenous shocks.With over-reliance on Russian and Ukrainian cereals and fertilisers, several countries have been exposed to food insecurity and have seen their agricultural yields threatened.During his stay in Sochi at the beginning of the Russian invasion, President Sall pleaded for Africa not to suffer too much from the repercussions of this war.Despite Vladimir Putin’s assurances, Africa has not escaped it like other parts of the world, countries are facing galloping inflation, rising prices of basic commodities, fuel…In short, the Russian-Ukrainian crisis has had an amplifying effect on the continent’s difficulties and will undoubtedly delay the resumption of growth and the recovery of countries, which had been strongly affected by the outbreak of Covid-19.For the organisers of the Dakar Peace Forum, scheduled to start on Monday, « security on the continent challenges above all African states themselves in their ability to ensure not only the physical protection of people and property, but also a certain autonomy vis-à-vis external partners ».« The exogenous shocks of recent years have highlighted the vulnerability of African states and their dependence.The strategic empowerment of the continent could involve the establishment of a comprehensive collective security strategy and the implementation, at the national level, of significant structural reforms in the security sector aimed at strengthening the freedom of action of States and the capacities of all actors, » adds the presentation document of the themes.They will revolve around other issues such as the strategic empowerment of the continent in the field of security, responses to the capability challenges of the Armed Forces, solutions to the expansion of violent extremism: between collective approaches and national responses and community responses to the challenges of stability…
By Bocar SAKHO / bsakho@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH / Serigne S. DIAGNE