AU Urged to Include Traditional Leaders

Chris Khumalo (BuaNews)-South Africa and Ghana have co-sponsored a special resolution seeking to put the issue of traditional leaders on the agenda of the African Union’s multi-lateral institutions.

The resolution was adopted at the International Conference on Traditional Leaders, an event hosted by South Africa at the weekend.

Tabled by South Africa and Samuel Boafo, the Ghana Minister of Traditional Affairs, the resolution urges the AU to initiate a process of establishing a Forum of African Traditional Leadership as an organ of the AU.

It also urges the AU to encourage the traditional leaders within the Regional Economic Communities to establish sub-regional forums of traditional leaders in the five AU regions.

The resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the conference, pleads with the AU to establish a steering committee to coordinate the process of the formation of such regional forums.

South Africa, as the host country and Ghana as the current chair of the African Union, has been tasked with the responsibility of providing support to the initiative for the first two years.

“We also urge Heads of State and Governments to provide support, both political and material, to traditional leaders within their countries with a view to helping them to form and strengthen their governing structures,” said the resolution.

The resolution also calls on Heads of State to advocate for the United Nations to coordinate an inter-continental committee of traditional leaders, under the leadership of the AU.

All Ministers of Traditional Affairs and Culture in Africa were called on to directly support and play a leading role in the formation traditional leadership structures in their countries leading up to the creation of such structures at regional level.

Ghana is to ensure that this resolution is given to President John Kuffour, who is the current AU Chairman.

The conference, attended by experts in the field of traditional leaders and academics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), was in line with President Thabo Mbeki’s vision of an African Renaissance.

This ideal seeks to ensure that Africa is put on the centre stage of global affairs in all spheres of life.

The conference was held to ensure that the institution of traditional leadership, which suffered immense systematic attack under colonial rule in Africa, was recognised as critical structure of governance.

It other developments, the Pan African Parliament is to consider the participation of the forums of traditional leaders in the deliberations of the Parliament.

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