Zanzibar Communiqu2015 Global Peace Leadership Conference, East AfricaJuly 22-23, 2015

Zanzibar Communiqu

Preamble and BackgroundThe East African region has witnessed an alarming rise of intra-state and interstate conflicts in recent decades. Each of these has taken a significant toll in terms of human lives lost and the suffering of refugees and internally-displaced persons, particularly on women, children and the youth, as well as adverse impacts on the social fabric, economic development, physical infrastructure and natural resources of the region, particularly within its coastal strip.

In response to this grave threat to the security and well-being of the people of East Africa, the Global Peace Foundation - in partnership with the Government of Zanzibar, the East African Community and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and with support from former heads of states and government - co-convened the Global Peace Leadership Conference (GPLC) East Africa and the East Africa Youth Summit in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania, from July 21-24, 2015. These forums have contributed to forging a consensus on shared principles and values as well as developing strategies to address the challenges of identity-based conflict, youth leadership and development throughout the region.

Under the theme, Promoting Peace, Security and Sustainable Development in the East Africa Region: A Call to Moral and Innovative Leadership, the GPLC East Africa has also brought together key partners including: the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Inter-Religious Council for Peace of Tanzania (IRCPT), the Zanzibar Youth Education Development Support Association (ZAYEDESA) and others to seek practical solutions to the problems of violent extremism and radicalization.

Under the Co-Chairmanship of Zanzibar former President H.E. Amani Abeid Karume and the Chairman GPF Regional Leadership Council Dr. Manu Chandaria (OBE EBS), the GPLC included the launch of the Africa Leadership Mission on Peace building, Young Leadership, and Service in collaboration with former heads of state and other distinguished regional actors. The opening of the conference was graced by His Excellency Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar represented by the 2nd Vice-President, His Excellency Amani Karume, Former President of Zanzibar, His Excellency Rupiah Banda, Former President of Zambia and Right Honorable Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister of Kenya along with the special envoys of H.E. Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Former President of Ethiopia and H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria.

The 2015 GPLC East Africa has advanced strategies to reduce conflict, build social cohesion, and promote ethical governance through moral and innovative leadership. It has also documented best practices and proven models that advance social and political stability, prosperity, competitiveness, and security on the foundation of universal principles and shared values, guided by the vision of One Family under God. It builds on the vision of the 2010 Global Peace Convention Nairobi Declaration and the 2015 Kigali Interreligious Declaration.

Participating leaders of intergovernmental, regional and business organizations have attested that peace is a perquisite for the security, regional integration and business prosperity that is needed to address poverty and development challenges facing the region.

Zanzibar Communiqu Call for Comprehensive ActionThe partners including EAC, IGAD, COMESA, GPF, IRCPT and others have agreed to engage in a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to address identity-based conflict on the foundation of shared principles and values advancing peace, development, and youth leadership. This approach weaves together the efforts of diverse sectors in an ongoing campaign of action by youth, interfaith communities, business entities, regional bodies, and other public and private stakeholders. These action areas include and are being further supported by partners in the following areas:

1. Africa Leadership Mission on Peace building, Young Leadership and Service:With the host chairmanship of H.E. Amani Abeid Karume, Former President of Zanzibar, ten distinguished statesmen including eight former heads of state and government have joined the Africa Leadership Mission to champion peace and security in Africa and further develop policies and strategies of support addressing identity-based conflict, youth empowerment, and development throughout the region. Leaders in this critical effort include: H.E. Amani Abeid Karume, Former President, Zanzibar; H.E. Rupiah Banda, Former President, Zambia; Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister of Kenya; H.E. Kenneth Kaunda, Founding President, Zambia; H.E. Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Former President, Ethiopia; H.E. Sir James Mancham (KBE), Founding President, Seychelles; H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, Nigeria; and H.E. Joyce Hilda Banda, Former President, Malawi along with Dr. Manu Chandaria (OBE EBS) CEO of Comcraft and GPF Regional Leadership Council Chairman and Dr. Markandey Rai, Senior Advisor of United Nations Habitat.

2. Regional Governmental Initiatives:The East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) (CEWARN Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism) and Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have joined together to advance business and regional integration, interfaith cooperation, youth empowerment, service and development initiatives through ongoing action-oriented partnerships that resulted from the GPLC.

3. Interfaith Peace building: The Global Peace Foundation, Inter-Religious Council for Peace of Tanzania and its womens leadership arm, United Religions Initiative, Interreligious Council of Kenya, and other interfaith partners from Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, Tanzania and the Middle East have agreed to engage in ongoing programs of peace education and interreligious bridge-building to foster trust and good will and to prevent radicalization and identity-based conflicts in the region. This effort will build upon and further implement the Kigali Declaration of 2014, which was supported by the East African Community and inter-religious partners. In addition to interfaith partnerships and education, this aspect of the peace campaign will also augment social media messaging with the Clouds Media Group and GPLC media partners.

4. Youth Leadership Engagement: Programs of youth interfaith sensitization and leadership engagement in peace building will continue after the GPLC and Youth Summit, in partnership with governors, faith leaders and youth organizations on the Coast and throughout the East African Community. Programs including United Generation (U-GEN), IRCPT youth interfaith campaigns, and the COMESA Youth Program, in partnership with GPF, will be further developed, disseminated and implemented, including young leadership and service initiatives of the Africa Peace Service Corps.

5. Role of Business: IGAD sponsored the Business Roundtable track of the conference to augment corporate and business leadership efforts in advancing the nexus between Business and Peace. This session chaired by the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Richard Sezibera, established that there is sufficient data from the region that illustrates conclusively the need for businesses to be proactive in peace and development initiatives. A series of expert presentations that formed the agenda also emphasized the need for more direct support from the private sector in conflict mitigation in the region due to the reinforcing relationship between thriving businesses and peace. In addition a strong argument emerged from the discussion that the private sector needs to invest in early warning

mechanisms that are critical for timely response to conflict. A framework for private-sector and civil society engagement in proactive conflict intervention initiatives that emerged from this forum will provide guidelines for follow-up action plans and implementation by IGAD CEWARN, EAC, COMESA, GPF and other partners in the region (Annex).

Key Results Anticipated

Outcomes of this GPLC and ongoing partnership process shall include:A. Improved interfaith collaboration and ongoing program development and implementation across sectors of government, civil society, the business sector and regional bodies to mitigate identity-based conflict and violent extremism.B. Regional partnership linkages will be developed between nations in East Africa and the Middle East for strategic cooperation in peace-building, combating extremism and trade development.C. Increased commitment to regional stability, social and economic progress that empowers young leaders in the region in developing and implementing service and youth entrepreneurship initiatives.D. Enhanced contributions to regional integration and progress toward sustainable development goals and peace facilitated by young leaders.

Dissemination and Ongoing Program Partnership

This Zanzibar Communiqu shall be disseminated to Regional bodies and the Africa Union, along with other Zanzibar GPLC proceedings reports addressing the issue of violent extremism. It shall be further incorporated by member Countries in the discussion on violent extremism during the United Nations General Assembly session that will be held in New York in September.

Further, the co-conveners and partners, in collaboration with the Africa Leadership Mission, shall develop public and private partnerships and resource generation to implement ongoing programs and to produce evidence-based reports of the outcomes of interfaith peace building, youth leadership, business initiatives, and development of the programmes described above.

We collectively express our profound appreciation to our hosts in Zanzibar, its authorities and people for graciously hosting the conference and for their warmth and peaceful hospitality.

For more details Contact : Salim Abdallah - digreport22@gmail.com / 255713999999 Martha Nghambi mnghambi@globalpeace.org / 255652366256

5