According to Kenyan President William Ruto, conflict continues to deny Africa of its potential, costing the continent an estimated 18 billion U.S. dollars annually and displacing millions of people.
NAIROBI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President William Ruto, who is also the champion of the African Union (AU) institutional reforms, said on Monday that conflict continues to deny Africa of its potential, costing the continent an estimated 18 billion U.S. dollars annually and displacing millions of people.
Ruto said Africa currently hosts 35 million internally displaced persons, 8.9 million refugees, 1.1 million asylum seekers, and 1 million stateless persons.
"Between April and June 2024 alone, a total of 1,000 terrorism incidents were recorded across Africa, resulting in 4,818 deaths," he said during the high-level Extended Bureau Retreat on AU Institutional Reforms held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
The day-long event brought together presidents from Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the Comoros, as well as Moussa Faki, chairperson of the AU Commission, to accelerate reforms of the 55-member continental organization.
Ruto noted that the AU security architecture in its current configuration is incapable of addressing the continent's complex dynamics and challenges, and there is an urgent need for immediate revitalization of the peace and security architecture.
He also said the pan-African bloc's presence in regional hotspots remains weak, fragmented, and under-resourced.
The Kenyan leader added that the continent's developmental goals are being hindered by destabilizing forces, given that peace is the key to development. ■