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S. African President Calls for Intensified Efforts to End Conflicts
South African President Thabo Mbeki on Sunday urged all African countries to commit themselves to ending all conflicts ravaging the continent.
"We all know that you can't achieve development... in situations of conflict and war," Mbeki told South African ambassadors gathering in Cape Town to evaluate the country's foreign policies.
"We must, as Africans, make a commitment... that we shall end all wars on the African continent," the president said.
Referring to the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Angola, Mbeki said it was important to push forward the peace process in both countries.
He said attempts were being made to convene a SADC meeting on the DRC next week, but he did not elaborate further.
"We cannot walk away from the leadership role which is expected of us," he said, while pledging that South Africa would interact more actively with the rest of the world.
Speaking of economic cooperation among southern African countries, Mbeki said the first challenge to be faced was restructuring of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
"Obviously, there has been a process going on, led by a group of SADC foreign ministers, looking at the restructuring of the development community," he said.
This was aimed at making sure it functioned more effectively, and was able to push forward the economic integration of the region, he added.
The SADC is behind other regional organizations in terms of economic integration, the president said.
"They (other regional economic blocs) are moving forward much faster and I don't see any particular reason why we shouldn't catch up with them," he said.
Mbeki also called on developed countries to translate words of support into "good actual practical support".
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