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Officials of both the World Bank and the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa have launched the 2011 World Development Report, published by the World Bank.

Sarah Cliff, a World Bank Representative, and Ramtane Lamamra, the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, represented the two bodies at the occasion.

Presenting the executive summary of the report, which was titled ‘Conflict, Security and Development’, Ms Cliff said it focused on peace, security, conflict, human rights violation, suffering of people, and violence.

“It focuses on development initiative and development in Africa, impact on development and violence, trends of violence and development, forms of violence as it affects development, increased crime, and drug trafficking in Africa,” she said.

Ms Cliff said the report also looked at internal and external pressures on society, among other issues.

“These are the high levels of unemployment, youth recruitment into rebel movements and gangs, and impacts of economic shocks, especially from high prices of food,” she said.

She added that some of the solutions identified by the report include violence prevention between states and citizens, and restoring confidence between groups, societies, organisations, nations and communities.

The report also identifies the role of organisations like the AU Commission which have a regional approach and solution to economic crises beyond individual countries.

Lessons from other lands

She said lessons learnt from Ghana, Liberia, and Mozambique, which recovered from economic shocks, include the use of a bottom-up approach.

“This approach is to empower citizens for economic growth, ensure security, justice reform mixed with traditional institutions, and job creation for the youth. Women agencies should also be incorporated in poverty reduction and eradication programmes, while the strengthening of anti-corruption agencies will ensure judicious use of state resources,” Ms Cliff said.

The World Bank representative said about 1.5 billion people were affected by violence and conflict.

“This means that children of those affected were deprived of schools, decent accommodation, adequate food and water, among other health issues.”

Earlier, Mr Lamamra had said the AU Commission would continue to collaborate with the World Bank, especially in the area of conflict prevention, management, and continental development in general. He gave the assurance that the AU would strengthen its partnership with the World Bank in order to reduce conflict on the continent.

The 58-page report is divided into three parts. Part one focuses on the challenges of repeated cycles of violence, while part two talks about a roadmap for breaking cycles of violence at the country level. The roadmap includes restoring confidence and transforming the instrument that provides citizen security, justice, and jobs.

Part three discusses the reduction of the risk of violence as a direction for international policy, which includes adopting community level programmes designed by country context.

This is the first time the report has been launched in Africa.

NAN