International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor, speaking as guest of honour at the Peace For All Recognition Programme in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Picture: Yandisa Monakali/GCIS
South Africa’s minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, has commended Ethiopia for showing its “true spirit” and ability to resolve conflict through dialogue.
Pandor said Ethiopia’s commitment to peace was encouraging and gave everyone hope that silencing the guns in Africa was no longer a slogan but a strong possibility.
She was speaking at the Peace for All Recognition Programme in Addis Ababa where the African nation had gathered on Sunday to celebrate the success of the continent’s peace initiative.
Ethiopia’s federal government and leaders in the war-torn Tigray region signed a peace accord on November 2 last year, followed by an implementation deal 10 days later.
Ethiopia’s federal government and leaders of the country’s northern Tigray region agreed to end two years of war.
The welcome deal, brokered by the AU in the South African capital, Pretoria, was a triumph for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Pandor said the gathering of parties in Pretoria reflected the true commitment to address conflict on the continent and ensure that we were led in peace. She also honoured the AU for its role in brokering the deal.
“These are African solutions to African problems,” she said.
“We hope that out of this agreement, the people of Africa will realise that conflict is what is causing us to experience under-development and that peace is the only route to development, and so all of us must exercise every effort to ensure that we enjoy peace on the African continent.”
She commended all parties for their steps taken to implement the Pretoria agreement and appealed that in the process of implementing the agreement, “no child, woman or person must be left behind”.
She called on humanitarian aiders to reach all corners of the affected communities.
“The success of a negotiation is judged not by the signing, but by what happens after the agreement is signed.”
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
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