The Head of State considers that food security on the continent deserves attention because it is “an important component of peace and security”, contrary to the full speech published here by the Journal of Angola.
The President explained that African governments are implementing projects and programs to confront the scarcity of food and water for human consumption, but severe drought causes real humanitarian disasters, as happens seasonally in the Sahel countries, Somalia and part of Kenya.
“With the prolonged drought comes extreme poverty, the loss of livestock which is sometimes the only source of wealth for the population,” he said.
And misery in these proportions “formed a fertile ground for human traffickers, prostitution and illegal immigration to Europe or even feeding the ranks of fundamentalist movements that cause instability and promote terrorism on the continent,” according to his assessment.
In the opinion of the senior official, governments cannot lower their arms in the face of the effects of climate change and its consequences on populations and economies, which have a negative impact on peace and security.
He added that given the continent’s structural weaknesses, it also appears more complex and difficult to repair the damage caused by Covid-19 over the past two years.
He explained that due to the health emergency, various anti-poverty plans were postponed and part of their resources were used to mitigate the guiding effects of the pandemic.
He stressed that after Covid-19, Africa experienced additional and unexpected difficulties in accessing agricultural inputs and basic food, due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He estimated that as a result of the above phenomena, poverty has exacerbated and “the potential for the emergence of new stressors likely to cause conflicts has increased significantly.”
He called on the President to face the situation objectively and to seek responses based on rational and responsible use of existing resources.
He noted that we are here to reflect on the consequences of armed conflicts on the lives of the population and the economy of states, bearing in mind the need to find the best solutions.
In this sense, Lourenço urged to work in a more coordinated manner with regional organizations and the African Union, so that the initiatives would have effective results capable of helping to restore the confidence, peace, calm, order and security necessary for progress and development.
mem / mjm
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