Ablakwa calls for end to African conflicts, urges leaders to create jobs

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has urged African leaders to conduct a thorough analysis of the underlying causes of conflicts on the continent. During a special meeting of the African Union Executive Council in Angola, he urged leaders to "have an honest introspection on the real causes of conflict" and end the acceptance of violence and extremism.

Ablakwa stressed that Africa is "running out of time" in its pursuit of a transformed continent, and called for immediate action to tackle the factors driving instability. He identified issues such as injustice, lack of opportunity for young people, underdevelopment, corruption, resource exploitation, intolerance, insincerity, and being used as pawns by external forces as key drivers of conflict.

Ablakwa also highlighted the growing number of young Africans seeking better prospects abroad, citing recent footage of over 72,000 individuals breaching fences to enter Ceuta, Spain. He emphasized the urgency of reducing armed violence, and stressed that African governments must shift priorities, diverting funds from conflict efforts to job creation.

Ablakwa argued that creating meaningful opportunities for the continent's youth must be a central part of the peace and security agenda, as lasting peace cannot be achieved without addressing the social, economic and political conditions that fuel conflict. He called on leaders to move beyond merely managing conflicts and instead confront the root causes, while investing in development, employment and opportunities for the continent's expanding youth population.