African leaders at the weekend in Pretoria, South Africa resolved to adopt a continental approach to combating terrorism.
Consequently, they have set up a committee to draw up a plan of action for this purpose.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister chairs the committee, which comprises of ministers from selected countries to draw up a plan of action that would be tabled before the next African Union meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, leaders of Ethiopia, Ghana, Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Cote D’Ivoire and hosted by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.
Briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the leaders discussed modalities for defining a stronger framework for cooperation and partnership amongst African states to deal with terrorism.
Abati said: “That what is required is not just a country based approach or a regional approach but a continental approach, which requires the cooperation of All African States.
“The realisation of course is that when there is a threat of terrorism in one country, terrorists can run from one country to the other.
“And it has also been established in the narrative about the threat of terrorism in Africa that indeed there is a continent wide network and that many African states are facing this particular threat.
“So these were the issues discussed and the Excellences then set up a committee and agreed that a committee be set up with the members drawn from ministers from selected countries who would then work together under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and come up with a plan of action that would be tabled before the African Union Summit taking place in Equatorial Guinea between June 25 and June 26.”
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