Eight former African presidents take part in conference on global peace leadership

Rupiah Banda and Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia)

Eight former African presidents are expected  today to take part in a four-day regional conference on global peace leadership in Zanzibar .

 

The conference is expected to chart strategies aimed at reducing conflict, build social cohesion and promote ethical governance through moral and innovative leadership.

 

Scheduled to begin today until Friday, this week, the conference is hosted by Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein and also attended by top government, religious and business leaders and other influential public figures.

 

According to Global Peace Foundation (GPF) country director, Arnold Kashembe the eight former African Heads of State expected to attend the conference include Joyce Banda (Malawi), Rupiah Banda and Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia), Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa, Amani Abeid Karume (Tanzania), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria) and Sir James Mancham (Seychelles).The theme of the conference is "Promoting Peace, Security and Sustainable Development in East Africa: A Call to Moral and Innovative Leadership".

 

He said that leaders from the public, private sector and faith-based communities would deliberate on the best practices and proven models that advance social and political stability, guided by the vision of one family under God.

 

The launch of the Africa Leadership Mission on Peace building Young Leadership and Service will also offer a forum for some of Africa's leading statesmen, faith leaders, youth and business leaders to harness their collective knowledge to advance the cause of peace by mitigating identity-based conflict and empowering youth.

 

In the same vein, Cord leader and former Kenyan Prime Minister  Raila Odinga on Monday before he left for Zanzibar he held talks in Dar es Salaam with President Jakaya Kikwete. 

 

.Raila and Kikwete held discussions on regional peace and stability, following increasing cases of terror attacks and extremism in East Africa.

 

They further discussed the promotion of good governance, democratic practices and regional socio-economic integration with a view to easing bilateral trade.

APOLOGY

 

In yesterday’s front page story  of this newspaper we erroneously reported that Zambia taxpayers will pay the expenses for Rupiah's delegation to the conference

 

Our  story  quoted a source at the ministry of finance in Zambia explaining that the estimated cost of the trip is over K350, 000.

 

In fact the costs of  all delegates to the conference will be met by the organisers. 

 

We apologise for any inconvenience that may have been caused-Editor.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN