Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need for African countries to take ownership of peace and security processes on the continent, saying Africans must play a leading role in resolving conflicts and determining the future of their region.
Xi made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of Togo’s Council of Ministers, who was on an official visit to China.
The Chinese president said African people were the true masters of their continent, emphasising that an Africa-led approach was essential to addressing the region’s security challenges and achieving lasting peace.
He outlined four principles for resolving conflicts in Africa, including African leadership, fairness and justice, the cessation of hostilities, and efforts to address both the immediate threats and underlying causes of insecurity.
Xi called on parties involved in conflict resolution to uphold fairness and justice by respecting the United Nations Charter, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries concerned.
He also advocated dialogue and diplomatic engagement, arguing that wars and unilateral sanctions could not fundamentally resolve disputes between countries.
According to him, mutual respect, broad consultations, the pursuit of common ground and a willingness to accommodate differences were necessary to resolving conflicts and preventing further escalation.
Xi further stressed that sustainable peace required measures that went beyond addressing immediate security threats, urging a combination of urgent interventions and long-term development strategies to tackle the root causes of instability.
He maintained that addressing the underlying factors driving conflicts was critical to building lasting peace and stability across the continent.
The Chinese leader’s remarks underscore the importance of African ownership of peace initiatives, regional cooperation and diplomatic engagement in tackling the continent’s security challenges.
His position also highlights the need to align immediate conflict-resolution efforts with broader development objectives to strengthen stability and prevent the recurrence of violence.
