Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) 05 December 2024 (SPS) – The African Union’s 5th High-Level Forum on Women, Peace, and Security kicked off today, Thursday, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa with the participation of a Sahrawi delegation, alongside African and international women leaders, decision-makers, and experts. The forum aims to advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda across the African continent.
The two-day forum serves as a platform to reflect on achievements, tackle challenges, and draft a roadmap to ensure active and equitable participation of women in peacebuilding and security processes throughout Africa, according to the organizers’ vision.
Representing the Sahrawi delegation, Ms. Metu Mohamed Lamine, from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Women Promotion, emphasized in a statement to the SPS correspondent in Addis Ababa that the presence of a Sahrawi female representative clearly demonstrates the Sahrawi government’s steadfast commitment to empowering Sahrawi and African women. She affirmed that the Sahrawi delegation is participating alongside other member states to enhance women’s roles in conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes.
Ms. Metu highlighted the Sahrawi Republic’s unwavering commitment to peace and justice, noting that the Sahrawi people’s liberation struggle has shaped their approach to empowering women in decision-making and peacebuilding roles across various structures of the Sahrawi government and the leadership of the Polisario Front.
The forum’s agenda includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, and group assignments focusing on key topics such as women’s innovations in peace processes, strategies for implementing WPS action plans post-2025, and the role of documentation and media in showcasing women’s leadership in conflict transformation.
As a historic supporter of women’s leadership, the African Union continues to promote initiatives addressing barriers to women’s involvement in peace and security efforts.
The participation of the Sahrawi government in this high-level event reaffirms its solidarity with African nations in promoting gender equality and advancing peace. Furthermore, the Sahrawi Republic’s collaboration with the AU on these issues reflects its historical role in the African liberation movement and its ongoing efforts to address challenges faced by women in conflict-affected regions.
The forum will continue tomorrow, Friday, with participants expected to outline actionable strategies to address emerging security threats, evaluate innovative peacebuilding approaches, and draft a concluding statement to guide future efforts.
The Sahrawi Republic remains committed to working hand in hand with its African partners to ensure that women’s voices remain central to peace and security processes. This vision was strongly affirmed by Ms. Metu Mohamed Lamine in her statement to the Sahrawi Press Service in Addis Ababa. (SPS)
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