At the opening of a two-day hybrid conference of the AUN Center for Conflict Analysis, Early Warning, and Peacebuilding, President Margee Ensign pointed to a fresh push to find solutions to the myriad of security and environmental challenges facing the Northeast and the larger Sahel region.
"Our Center for Conflict Analysis, Early Warning and Peacebuilding will provide our community with an assessment and analysis of local, regional and national conflicts. Our early warning is critically important, and not only for sharing advance information which Governments, community leaders and peacemakers can build on to prevent conflict, but also on food security,” the President said.
President Ensign said the conference held on February 16 and 17, 2002, represents AUN's mission as a Development University, a university which has the passion and capacity to tackle the most pressing issues of our time in the region, the country, and in particular, the Sahel.
"In fact, on peacebuilding, we have a very long history here. Working with members of the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API) we will now expand our work and our knowledge and our reach. That's a big part of this conference, and the topic could not be more timely.”
The theme of the conference was: "Environmental Change and Insecurity in the Sahel: The Roles of Civil Society Organizations and Local Non- Governmental Organizations in Building Resilient Communities." It addressed the rising issues in governance and security, increasing environmental degradation, jihadists and organized violence, food security, and the deepening humanitarian, developmental and educational crisis. All are the multiple threats faced in Northeast Nigeria and the West African Sahel.
Outlining the measures lined up to address these issues, the Center's Director, Dr. Lionel von Rawlins, explained that the Center would carry out investigations, provide analytical insights on these issues, and mitigate the threats posed by identified problems.
"The Center will provide a nuanced understanding of the issues, gather and report data on conflicts--from both published and unpublished but reliable data--to analyze, describe and report on conflict in target areas. The Center will also promote awareness and build capacity and expertise while working with governments, international organizations, humanitarian agencies, scholars and affected communities to respond to the rising threats.”
He said the conference is crucial because it will bring together people of different beliefs, ideas, and backgrounds to share ideas and solutions.
"Take the issue of climate change in the Sahel, for instance. That is causing a lot of dynamics and creating instability. There are different opinions about it, so the inclusiveness of everyone makes it so much better and easier because you get different schools of thought to work with."
Dr. von Rawlins said the Center's main objective is to have a vast and lasting impact on society.
“We want to get other people involved, to bring sustainable peace and development to these regions. Imagine what will happen if we achieve that and minimize all of problems with tribalism and ethnic violence. I believe we can go close enough and stop all these senseless killings.”
The Center's focus areas include Northeast Nigeria, West African Sahel, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Cameroon.
Reported by Tina Bitrus