Tana Forum reviews financing and reforming AU’s peace security agendas

The 7th Tana High-Level Forum on peace and security in Africa is set to be held in Bahir Dar from April 21 to 22, 2018. The Forum that will bring together 250 participants including incumbent and former African leaders, stakeholder groups, peace and security experts from around the continent will have the theme: “Ownership of Africa’s peace and Security Provision: Financing and Reforming the African Union”.
During a press briefing held on Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel, Chairperson of Tana Forum and Former President of Nigeria Olesegun Obasanjo stated that the event will deliberate strong solutions on how to finance and reform the AU in peace and security agendas.
“The Forum will generate ideas and views on promoting African-led solutions on peace and security provisions in the continent by Africans. The main agenda of the event is aligned with the African Union’s ambition to reform itself,” said Obasanjo.
According to the Chairman, the AU reform includes institutional improvements at both the political and operation level, especially making a provision for a more sustainable funding for peace building in Africa.
Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda and Current AU Chairperson, is expected to deliver the keynote address at the Forum.
To understand ownership it helps to strategically examine the roles and functions of external actors in the goals of peace-building and state-building, a participant said. They further underlined that ownership has acute political significance when presented in the context of relationships between power-holders and others; between developed countries and developing countries; and between Western states and non-Western states.
Tana Forum Secretariat, Communications Coordinator and Profile Manager, Michelle Mendi Muita said that the forum will enable leaders to explore options for innovative and joint action in peace and security.
She further stated that the forum will set aside African leaders to develop and implement adequate and pro-active initiatives in peace and security on the continent and it is designed to share views, experiences and ideas in an informal and independent manner.
The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa is a platform for African leaders, stakeholders and pro-active strategists to collaboratively engage in exploring and exchanging ideas on African-led solutions to security challenges and its secretariat is based at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University.