Silencing the Guns campaign kicks off in 2020.

Ms. Aissatou Hayatou is the 'Silencing the Guns in Africa' Operations Manager at the African Union Commission (AUC). The AU's campaign on 'Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020' aims to achieve a conflict-free Africa, prevent genocide, make peace a reality for all and rid the continent of wars, violent conflicts, human rights violations, and humanitarian disasters. In an interview with Africa Renewal's Zipporah Musau, Ms. Hayatou provided details about the campaign and what it will take to silence the guns in Africa once and for all.

Africa Renewal: What is this campaign about?

Ms. Aissatou Hayatou: The campaign aims to promote prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in Africa. 'Silencing the Guns' is a slogan of a project that targets silencing all illegal weapons in Africa. We have an amnesty month in September 2020 where those with illegally-acquired guns can hand them in to the authorities without penalty.

When will it be launched?

It will be launched in early 2020 in Addis Ababa during the AU Summit, which has the theme 'Silencing the Guns'.

Who is the target?

The campaign targets member states because the primary responsibility of providing peace and security and the overall protection of citizens lies with governments. We are also putting an emphasis on the youth. It is their future at stake.

Where are the guns?

Mostly in the areas in conflict: the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, Central African region, eastern Congo, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, South Sudan and Libya. This does not mean that the countries that are at peace should not do anything. Prevention is key. All illegally-acquired light weapons used in crime, urban violence and cattle rustling need to be silenced too. Silencing the Guns calls upon all countries to invest in peace.

What next after the guns are handed in?

Disarming alone is not enough. We need to find solutions so that the communities in conflict can co-exist.

How can guns be silenced in Africa once and for all?

We need to address the root causes of the problem. To build peace, we need to create inclusive multi-sectoral programmes that will address the economic, social and environmental causes of the challenge. About 600 million young people in Africa are unemployed, uneducated or in insecure employment. We need to invest in economic development in order to stop our youth from taking up arms.

What challenges do you foresee?

The biggest challenge would be the national uptake of the campaign by member states...

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