Zuma returns from working visit to Addis Ababa
President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, returned to South African from a working visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he attended the AU High Level Committee meeting to review and discuss the peace and security situation in Libya.
“As the African Union we want to see peace and stability in Libya and the committee agreed that as Africa we need to extensively persuade all involved parties in Libya to find an African solution to the problems facing the country,” Zuma said in a statement.
“We have a strong common view that the security situation in Libya requires the AU to be more involved and that no amount of military action will address the current challenges in that country but only political dialogue and cooperation between the affected parties to ensure lasting stability, peace and security in the country and the region.”
He said the meeting was productive and positive. It discussed and agreed on a number of issues that would help find a lasting solution on challenges facing Libya, said Zuma.
The committee received a report on the situation in Libya from the AU Envoy to Libya, former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete. Zuma said the committee agreed that the AU would work closely with all stakeholders involved in the peace process to ensure that Libyans are provided a necessary support to find an urgent solution that would end the the current humanitarian, social and security challenges in the country.
“We have agreed that whilst discussions were underway to operationalise the African Standby Force (ASF), it was important that Africa capacitate the ACIRC to ensure that we have a capability to intervene rapidly in situations where there is conflict,” he said.
“Volunteering countries to the ACIRC, which include South Africa, resolved to take a lead in bringing about African solutions for African challenges without the intervention of external forces.”
The ACIRC, which was established in 2013, consists of Algeria, Angola, Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
"It was introduced as an interim measure, pending the full operational capability of the African Standby Force (ASF), to provide the AU with a rapid military response capability with the specific objective of preventing emerging genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes,” the Presidency said.
Zuma was accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula; and Minister of State Security David Mahlobo.