The 1st Intellectual Forum of the African Union (AU) convened this week in Sudan. The Conference under the theme „Political Stability in Africa: Constraints and Prospects of the Future“ was chaired by Lakhdar Brahimi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria from 1991 to 1993 and United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria until 2014.

Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, addressed the leader of several African nations at the Forum: „Africa gets the first forum that brings intellectuals together with intelligence officers to strategize together. Political stability and security are belonging together. You cannot have political stability if there is insecurity.“

Mohammad Atta Al Mula Abbas, the Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) of the Republic of Sudan, highlighted in his keynote speech a vision of a new cooperative pan-African security architecture towards an effective Partnership strategic of the African continent. „The issue of political stability is the most important and common concern of all African countries today“, Moula Abbas said.

Bakri Hassan Saleh, Prime Minister and First Vice President of Sudan, stressed: „At all levels on our continent we focus on political stability to pave the way to economic growth of our countries. This Forum is a chance to realizes changes in a secure future of our nations to gain real stability which guarantees development.“

Ali Hassan Mwinyi, President of the United Republic of Tanzania from 1985 to 1995, spoke in the opening ceremony about the impact of conflicts on development. Africa has 29 ongoing armed conflicts and a large number of separatists movement which destabilize the continent.

Numerous peakers blast Western countries for rising external factors which destabilize African countries. A common view among theses panelists was to reject regime change attempts and support of separatist movements by Western countries.

Nigeria’s ambassador to Sudan, Mohamed Ibrahim, who is one speakers of the Forum, said at the venue at the High Academy for Strategic and Security Studies (H.A.S.S.S.) in Khartoum: „After the independency of 54 African countries, 10 foreign states opened military basses all over Africa. The US forces use African countries as bases for their drone attacks outside Africa without concerning the security of African countries.“

Joseph Chilengi, the Presiding Officer of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (AU-ECOSOCC), presented the Closing Communiqué and Recommendations of the First Intellectual Forum: “After commending the experiences of the Sudanese National Dialogue, conferees call for organizing a Comprehensive African Dialogue that tackles issues of peace and building inter- and intra-state reconciliation as to eventually reach an African dialogue at the continental level.”