Former President Thabo Mbeki says the African Union Peace and Security Council failed to act on time on the Ethiopian conflict. He was delivering the Albert Luthuli Lecture to honour the late anti-Apartheid activist on Friday.
Mbeki says the council has a critical mandate to ensure that there’s peace and stability on the continent. Scores of people have been displaced since the war started in the northern part of Ethiopia.
Former President says it’s extremely worrisome that there’s a new war in Africa, adding that the situation is terrible in the northern part of Ethiopia, Tigray, since the conflict erupted.
He has lashed out at the African Union Peace and Security Council for failing to act timeously.
“The African Union Peace and Security had not addressed it despite its mandate to ensure that there is peace and stability. And Ethiopia is the home of the African Union,” says Mbeki.
2021 Chief Albert Luthuli Memorial Lecture:
Africa developmental blueprint
The Former President also didn’t hold back and lambasted the developed nations under G8, which is now known as G7, for abandoning Africa’s developmental blueprint.
Mbeki says, “In 2002 the developed countries organising G8 adopted G8 Africa Action plan to align economic relations with our continent on the basis of Africa’s own programme – the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad). This was a major step forward to have equitable relations.”
He did not have kind words for NATO since it’s invaded Libya in 2011. “The United Nations Security Council authorised NATO to commit act of aggression to achieve regime change in Libya by removing the head of state Colonel Gaddafi,” decries Mbeki.
The former President has lamented the fact that South Africa has lost its prestige as the governing party is caught up in internal battles.
Former President Thabo Mbeki’s full speech:
