Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has concluded his working visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he attended the African Union (AU) High Level Committee meeting on Libya.
The meeting which reviewed and discuss the peace and security situation in Libya - has been labelled as “productive and positive”.
The meeting, according to the Presidency, discussed and agreed on a number of issues that would help find a lasting solution on challenges facing the people of Libya.
"As the African Union we want to see peace and stability in Libya and the committee agreed that as Africa we need to extensively persuade all involved parties in Libya to find an African solution to the problems facing the country," said President Zuma on Wednesday.
The leaders’ common view that the security situation in Libya requires the AU to be more involved.
“No amount of military action will address the current challenges in that country but only political dialogue and cooperation between the affected parties to ensure lasting stability, peace and security in the country and the region," the President added.
The committee received a report on the situation in Libya from the AU Envoy to Libya, former President Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete.
The committee agreed that the AU will work closely with all stakeholders involved in the peace process, to ensure that Libyans are provided a necessary support to find an urgent solution that would end the current humanitarian, social and security challenges in the country.
These efforts will be supplemented by those of other international organisations, in particular the League of Arab States, United Nations and Libya's neighbouring countries who are as affected by the instability in Libya.
African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises
President Zuma also participated in the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Volunteering Nations of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC) which discussed the status of the ACIRC Force following the conduct of the Utulivu Africa I and II Command Post Exercises.
"We have agreed that whilst discussions were underway to operationalise the African Standby Force (ASF), it was important that Africa capacitate the ACIRC to ensure that we have a capability to intervene rapidly in situations where there is conflict. Volunteering countries to the ACIRC, which include South Africa, resolved to take a lead in bringing about African solutions for African challenges without the intervention of external forces," the President said.
The ACIRC, which was established in 2013, consists of the following volunteering nations: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
It was introduced as an interim measure, pending the full operational capability of the ASF, to provide the AU with a rapid military response capability with the specific objective of preventing emerging genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
President Zuma was accompanied by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and State Security Minister David Mahlobo. - SAnews.gov.za
