About The Africa Solidarity Initiative (ASI)
African continental flagship initiative in support of Post conflict reconstruction in Africa
AFRICA HELPING AFRICA
The ASI was launched within the context of the implementation of the AU Policy on Post‐Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD), adopted in Banjul, in June 2006, which aims at improving timeliness, effectiveness and coordination of
activities in post‐conflict countries and to lay the foundation for social justice and sustainable peace. This event was also part of the follow‐up to Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.408(XVIII), adopted by the Assembly of the
Union, at its 18th Ordinary Session, held in Addis Ababa, from 29 to 30 January 2012, which stressed the need for renewed efforts towards post‐conflict reconstruction and development in order to consolidate peace where it has been achieved, as well as on the outcomes of the assessment missions conducted by the Commission, with the support of the African
Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the European Union, to several AU Member States in a post‐conflict phase. While acknowledging the milestones accomplished in our common objective of a conflict‐free Africa, we are also mindful of the need, for renewed efforts towards post‐conflict reconstruction and peace building, in order to sustain the hope and gains that come with the end of violence, in addition to addressing existing crises and conflicts. Indeed, as experience indicates, in the early phase of the transition from conflict to peace, the risk of relapse into violence is high as countries emerging from conflicts are often characterized by weakened capacity at all levels, destroyed institutions, governance challenges and poverty. In launching the ASI, we aim at giving a new impetus to Africa’s efforts in the area of
Post‐conflict reconstruction and development, building on steps already taken by individual member states, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other stakeholders, as part of our strategy towards growth, renewal and sustainable development. OBJECTIVE
Our objective is also to promote African solidarity, mutual assistance and regional integration, and propel the continent to a higher level of development and self‐confidence, driven by the motto: ‘Africa helping Africa’. Aware that successful post‐conflict reconstruction and development demand long‐term commitments, collective efforts and African ownership as well as leadership, we, hereby, launch the African Solidarity Initiative, as a flagship continental programme, in support, to the following pilot countries: Burundi, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan and South Sudan. More specifically, the ASI shall pursue the following objectives:
1) To deepen the essence of African solidarity and promote a paradigm shift which Center‐stages African mutual assistance as a key dimension for enhanced and effective development of the continent;
2) To encourage, motivate, and empower African countries to offer support to the pilot countries listed above and to other Member States as the process expands
3) To provide a unique opportunity for generating additional “out of the box” ideas for addressing PCRD challenges, by actively involving African countries, relevant organizations/institutions, parastatal, private sector, academia, civil society, Faith‐based organizations, African experts, and the Diaspora;
4) To promote intra‐African solutions to the complex challenges of post‐conflict
5) To contribute towards a renewed sense of urgency in consolidating peace where it has been achieved. PURPOSE
The ASI shall institute a coordinated and expanded platform aimed at increasing contributions in support to PCRD activities in Africa through:
1) Mobilizing, where feasible, financial contributions and, more importantly, in‐kind contributions from African countries and other stakeholders from within and beyond the continent;
2) Developing a process for mutual sharing of technical expertise and capacity building. As part of various follow‐up activities for implementation of the PCRD policy, the African Union Commission, through the Peace and Security Department, organized multidisciplinary assessment missions to a number of post‐conflict countries in the continent (Burundi, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan). From these multidisciplinary PCRD assessment missions, priority areas have emerged for consideration of possible support from other AU member states to PCRD countries, in addition to support from other partners. Based on the work that has been undertaken so far and the magnitude of continuing challenges, the African Union is launching and coordinating the implementation of a new initiative, called the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI); in order to mobilize a higher level of support, particularly from Africa for post conflict reconstruction and development efforts in PCRD countries. The ASI process encourages and promotes support from: African countries, parastatal setups,
African entrepreneurs, the private sector, key organizations/institutions, academia, African celebrities, Diaspora, CSOs/NGOs/FBOs, women/youth networks, and African individual experts/professional associations, and partners. One of the major hallmarks of the ASI process is the emphasis placed on the usefulness of
African in‐kind as well as financial (as feasible) pledges/contributions of support for post conflict reconstruction and development efforts in Africa; as an additional and continental platform for increased solidarity towards a new level of “Africa helping Africa”. FOR MORE INFO PLEASE VISIT http://asi.peaceau.org
