Africa needs peace and stability in order to prosper

By Kofi Thompson

No African who is a pan-Africanist, will fail to be worried and saddened, by the unfortunate violence breaking out in places like South Sudan and the Central African Republic. What today's Africa needs is peace and stability in order to develop and prosper - not senseless tribal and religious conflict.

Harrowing photographs of displaced fellow Africans, seeking refuge in United Nations compounds in South Sudan, and traumatised Nigerians huddled together in small groups at the arrivals hall of Nnamdi Azikwei international airport in Abuja, after being evacuated from the Central African Republic, are an indictment of the ruling elites of both nations.

Their selfish disregard for the welfare of their people, and the well-being of the societies they dominate in such brutal fashion, is shocking and reprehensible. This is the 21st century information age - not the Dark Ages. No tribe in the continent is superior or inferior to another. And genetically we are the same people more or less.

The African Union (AU) must do all it can to ensure that mediation efforts now underway to end the violence in both nations meet with success. It is unacceptable that ordinary people anywhere on the continent have to experience such abominable and unspeakable acts of violence, because of the failings of their leaders. What Africa needs is peace and stability - to enable it develop and prosper. We must rid the continent of selfish, narrow-minded and violence-prone leaders for that reason.