AU to seek long-term mechanism for tackling refugee issue

A special preparatory council is being held in Kampala, Uganda on 19-20 October on the eve of the incoming Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Africa. At its opening ceremony, Ugandan Prime Minister Professor Apolo Nsibambi said his country was to host the AU special summit on refugees, returnees and IDPs in Africa on October 22-23, which would work to set up an effective and sustainable mechanism to deal with natural disasters, climate change and food security.

According to the agenda, the AU Executive Council of the preparatory nature is being held in Kampala, Uganda from 19 to 20 October within the contest of the Africa Union and, when the Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and IDPs is in session, 16 African heads of State and Government would attend.

The Special Summit on African Refugees would sign the first-ever African Convention on the protection and assistance of internally displaced persons in Africa in a hope to find lasting solution to the issues of refugees through a better, enhanced coordination among African nations.

At present, Africa has more than 17 million refugees, according to AU statistics. As a matter of fact, the Africa continent is featured by the existence of more refugees fleeing wars and internal conflicts, a constant rise in the number of refugees and massive refugee flows between African nations. And all this has aggravated social upheavals, wars and famines in the entire Africa region.

The vast, richly-endowed African continent has always been the least developed and most abject region in the world nevertheless, as it has been plundered and robbed of its riches in the decades of turmoil and periods of transition as well as the ensuing marginalization from the international community. The Africa refugee problem has not only harassed economic development on the continent but undermined its stability and security, and so it has all along been a big, difficult global issue or a hard nut to crack with its influence outstepping the continent.

About 67,000 African people sought refuge in the territory of the European Union (EU) in 2008 by crossing the Mediterranean to Italy, Greece, Mala and Cyprus, and additional 2 million Africans would attempt to make a living in Europe in the years ahead, noted statistics released by EU. And many refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on their way of immigration.

For this perspective, the EU and such member countries as Italy, Greece, Cypress and Malta in particular, have been conferring with the AU and especially North African nations for the joint resolution of this thorny issue.

Apart from recruiting more immigrants from Africa, European countries attempt to sign an agreement on the establishment of a so-called "buffer zone" or "zone of separation" between North African nations and the Mediterranean to cub inflow of illegal immigrants.

To genuinely resolve the African refugee issue, it however has to hinge on concerted international cooperation to look into its root cause instead of relying on the strength of Africa alone. First of all, concerted efforts should be made to attain peace and stability in those nations with great upheavals and war turmoil. Secondly, an economic input should be augmented to help African nations develop economy and their people to shake of poverty. The refugee issue can be alleviated only when people in Africa are able to cater for themselves and their children.

Africa now has approximately 17 million refuges, returnees and IDPs, indicated the latest figures from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. There are reportedly 88,000 refugees in East Africa, mostly from Burundi. And according to a report of the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 110,000 refugees and IDPS are now scattered in 16 central and eastern African countries.

Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) and Somalia currently have most refugees as these nations have frequently been plagued by war turmoil over recent years, whereas Burundi, Central African republic and Chad also have a large number of refugees or "internally displaced persons".

By People's Daily Online and contributed by PD reporter Wu Wenbin