By Tendai Guvamombe (Midrand South Africa)
Pan African Parliament (PAP) President Chief Fortune Charumbira delivered a powerful speech today. He spoke at a joint meeting with the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC). His main message was clear: leaders must act now to solve Africa’s peace and security problems.
He stressed that we can’t just stand by while people suffer.President Charumbira started by describing the harsh realities many Africans face every day.
“Children aren’t going to school because of conflict,” he said. He painted a vivid picture of the human cost: people injured and hospitalized, women and children fleeing through dangerous areas, and families losing food, jobs, and homes.
He shared moving stories, like a woman caring tirelessly for children on a flight and a Sudanese woman escaping war with her kids on her back and a donkey. These stories powerfully showed how insecurity affects the most vulnerable.
The PAP President highlighted the stark contrast between their comfortable meeting room and the suffering outside. “We are here because we have a responsibility to ensure peace and security,” he declared.
His central point was unmistakable: “We can’t sit in our offices and see Africa on fire.” This strong statement became a call to action for everyone present.Chief Charumbira ended his remarks by placing the responsibility firmly on the attendees.
He urged them to use the two-day meeting to create real solutions. “These two days we must come up with concrete mechanisms to save our citizens,” he stated.
The expectation is high for this meeting to move beyond talk and develop clear plans to address the continent’s peace and security crises, bringing relief to its people.
