Date: 26/05/2003
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Seminar on Human Security Commission's report
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA TO THE SEMINAR ON THE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE HUMAN SECURITY REPORT, Pretoria, 26 May 2003
"ACHIEVING LASTING SOLUTIONS TO CONFLICTS IN AFRICA - THE LINKAGE BETWEEN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, PEACEKEEPING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT"
Chairperson,
The CEO of the Africa Institute of South Africa, Dr Eddie Maloka,
Commissioner of the Commission on Human Security, Dr Frene Ginwala,
Distinguished Participants,
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this very important discussion.
The principle of human security is important as it reminds us that human security must be centred on people and not states.
As the Report of the Commission on Human Security clearly points out, we need to change the paradigm and revisit the definition of human security.
The focus of most security doctrines in the past has been the security of the state.
It is argued that the security of people is more relevant today than merely a focus on the national security of states.
Lasting stability in Africa cannot be achieved unless human security concerns are addressed, and basic needs met. This requires more attention to be paid to economic development, poverty eradication, good governance, and the rule of law, human rights, and conflict resolution.
Human security also assumes the right of people to live in a secure and clean environment, to be protected from religious or racial persecution, disease and crime. The extent to which the safety and security of individuals is attained is a measure of progress towards peace and security.
Having lived in a police state for decades, South Africans have a good understanding of the effects of over-securing the state to the detriment of citizens, as it happened during the apartheid era. We also have experience of how the state can be used to suppress human freedoms.
In our view, which is also the view of the Commission, human security means more than just the absence of war.
Therefore, eradicating and preventing conflict, achieving economic growth and the reduction of poverty are critical pillars in achieving the objectives of human security, and bringing about durable peace.
This is what has guided the democratic state in South Africa in the last nine years - a pursuit of a better life for all, access to basic needs and the entrenchment of fundamental human rights.
In working towards durable peace, we have also resolved our internal security problems, for example, the conflict, which was threatening the stability of the whole country before 1994, in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party worked hard to ensure a return of peace in the province, and even though there could be political hiccups from time to time, we strongly believe that we have moved beyond the possibility of an outbreak of violence in that province.
In addition, through the democratisation of the country, the state apparatus can no longer be utilised to sustain and foment any conflict within this country, as it happened during the apartheid era through state-sponsored violence within black communities.
Moving to the rest of the continent, it is our view that Africa has generally embraced the concept of human security or people-centred security at an institutional level, although there is a lot of work to be done at a practical level.
The Constitutive Act of the African Union and the AU organs including the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), are geared towards creating conditions that would enable lasting peace and sustainable development in the continent.
Africa has experienced decades of conflict that has taken millions of lives and left untold destruction in its wake. At the root of many of these conflicts have been religious and racial tensions such as in Sudan, or ethnic tension such as in the Great Lakes region.
Military dictatorships have contributed to wars and conflicts, and foreign interference has in many cases fuelled these conflicts largely due to the scramble to control the continent's rich resources.
The African Union has initiated the establishment of a Peace and Security Council with powers to intervene in cases of gross human right violations, genocide, or other serious instability. An African stand-by force could effectively intervene in areas such as Bunia in the Eastern DRC.
It is problematic that only five of the required 27 countries have ratified the protocol to set up the Peace and Security Council to date. In the absence of such a structure and standby force, Africa is reliant on the intervention of the UN and forces from outside Africa to keep the peace in situations of a complete breakdown of law and order.
Despite the teething problems, we believe that Africa is on the right track, and that with the implementation of NEPAD and the establishment and operationalisation of the remaining organs of the AU, we will be in a position to achieve our goals.
Delegates would also be aware that South Africa is involved in some peacekeeping initiatives in the continent.
We are participating in two United Nations missions in Ethiopia/Eritrea and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as two African Union Missions, the AU Liaison Mission in Ethiopia/Eritrea and the African Mission in Burundi.
Our objectives for participating in the Burundi and DRC missions is to contribute to creating an environment where free and fair elections can be held, leading to the ushering in of democracy and the process of creating lasting peace, stability and as well as reconstruction and development.
We have contributed troops to Burundi and the DRC because we see a strong link between conflict management, resolution, peacekeeping and sustainable development.
Our philosophy on peacekeeping is guided by our belief that peacekeeping should go deeper than only addressing the symptoms of conflict.
Peacekeeping is therefore a means to an end, the end being creating the right climate for ultimately moving towards the restoration of democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and ultimately a conducive climate for economic growth and development.
Most importantly, it is a vehicle for ensuring the protection of human life, and contributes to the attainment of human security.
Africa still has a long way to go before we can say we have achieved human security throughout the continent. Achievement of this objective is a long and strenuous process that requires the active participation of civil society as well as governments throughout the continent.
The advantage is that the tide has turned, and that there is now a move towards doing the right thing and doing things in a new way in the continent.
The orderly changeovers in power in Burundi, Kenya and other countries are an indication of the new Africa that is emerging.
With the active participation of the African peoples, the democratisation and the peace processes in the continent will move at a faster pace.
Our involvement in peace processes has convinced us that peace; stability and sustainable development in Africa are achievable goals.
I thank you.
Issued by The Presidency
26 May 2003
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Seminar on Human Security Commission's report
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA TO THE SEMINAR ON THE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE HUMAN SECURITY REPORT, Pretoria, 26 May 2003
"ACHIEVING LASTING SOLUTIONS TO CONFLICTS IN AFRICA - THE LINKAGE BETWEEN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, PEACEKEEPING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT"
Chairperson,
The CEO of the Africa Institute of South Africa, Dr Eddie Maloka,
Commissioner of the Commission on Human Security, Dr Frene Ginwala,
Distinguished Participants,
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this very important discussion.
The principle of human security is important as it reminds us that human security must be centred on people and not states.
As the Report of the Commission on Human Security clearly points out, we need to change the paradigm and revisit the definition of human security.
The focus of most security doctrines in the past has been the security of the state.
It is argued that the security of people is more relevant today than merely a focus on the national security of states.
Lasting stability in Africa cannot be achieved unless human security concerns are addressed, and basic needs met. This requires more attention to be paid to economic development, poverty eradication, good governance, and the rule of law, human rights, and conflict resolution.
Human security also assumes the right of people to live in a secure and clean environment, to be protected from religious or racial persecution, disease and crime. The extent to which the safety and security of individuals is attained is a measure of progress towards peace and security.
Having lived in a police state for decades, South Africans have a good understanding of the effects of over-securing the state to the detriment of citizens, as it happened during the apartheid era. We also have experience of how the state can be used to suppress human freedoms.
In our view, which is also the view of the Commission, human security means more than just the absence of war.
Therefore, eradicating and preventing conflict, achieving economic growth and the reduction of poverty are critical pillars in achieving the objectives of human security, and bringing about durable peace.
This is what has guided the democratic state in South Africa in the last nine years - a pursuit of a better life for all, access to basic needs and the entrenchment of fundamental human rights.
In working towards durable peace, we have also resolved our internal security problems, for example, the conflict, which was threatening the stability of the whole country before 1994, in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party worked hard to ensure a return of peace in the province, and even though there could be political hiccups from time to time, we strongly believe that we have moved beyond the possibility of an outbreak of violence in that province.
In addition, through the democratisation of the country, the state apparatus can no longer be utilised to sustain and foment any conflict within this country, as it happened during the apartheid era through state-sponsored violence within black communities.
Moving to the rest of the continent, it is our view that Africa has generally embraced the concept of human security or people-centred security at an institutional level, although there is a lot of work to be done at a practical level.
The Constitutive Act of the African Union and the AU organs including the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), are geared towards creating conditions that would enable lasting peace and sustainable development in the continent.
Africa has experienced decades of conflict that has taken millions of lives and left untold destruction in its wake. At the root of many of these conflicts have been religious and racial tensions such as in Sudan, or ethnic tension such as in the Great Lakes region.
Military dictatorships have contributed to wars and conflicts, and foreign interference has in many cases fuelled these conflicts largely due to the scramble to control the continent's rich resources.
The African Union has initiated the establishment of a Peace and Security Council with powers to intervene in cases of gross human right violations, genocide, or other serious instability. An African stand-by force could effectively intervene in areas such as Bunia in the Eastern DRC.
It is problematic that only five of the required 27 countries have ratified the protocol to set up the Peace and Security Council to date. In the absence of such a structure and standby force, Africa is reliant on the intervention of the UN and forces from outside Africa to keep the peace in situations of a complete breakdown of law and order.
Despite the teething problems, we believe that Africa is on the right track, and that with the implementation of NEPAD and the establishment and operationalisation of the remaining organs of the AU, we will be in a position to achieve our goals.
Delegates would also be aware that South Africa is involved in some peacekeeping initiatives in the continent.
We are participating in two United Nations missions in Ethiopia/Eritrea and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as two African Union Missions, the AU Liaison Mission in Ethiopia/Eritrea and the African Mission in Burundi.
Our objectives for participating in the Burundi and DRC missions is to contribute to creating an environment where free and fair elections can be held, leading to the ushering in of democracy and the process of creating lasting peace, stability and as well as reconstruction and development.
We have contributed troops to Burundi and the DRC because we see a strong link between conflict management, resolution, peacekeeping and sustainable development.
Our philosophy on peacekeeping is guided by our belief that peacekeeping should go deeper than only addressing the symptoms of conflict.
Peacekeeping is therefore a means to an end, the end being creating the right climate for ultimately moving towards the restoration of democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and ultimately a conducive climate for economic growth and development.
Most importantly, it is a vehicle for ensuring the protection of human life, and contributes to the attainment of human security.
Africa still has a long way to go before we can say we have achieved human security throughout the continent. Achievement of this objective is a long and strenuous process that requires the active participation of civil society as well as governments throughout the continent.
The advantage is that the tide has turned, and that there is now a move towards doing the right thing and doing things in a new way in the continent.
The orderly changeovers in power in Burundi, Kenya and other countries are an indication of the new Africa that is emerging.
With the active participation of the African peoples, the democratisation and the peace processes in the continent will move at a faster pace.
Our involvement in peace processes has convinced us that peace; stability and sustainable development in Africa are achievable goals.
I thank you.
Issued by The Presidency
26 May 2003
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