LUANDA, ANGOLA — Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has called on African countries to take greater financial responsibility for the continent’s peacekeeping and security operations, warning that Africa cannot continue to depend heavily on external donors to protect its sovereignty. Chiwenga made the call at the conclusion of the African Union Extraordinary Summit in Luanda, Angola, where African leaders discussed the continent’s worsening security challenges and the need for stronger collective responses. He argued that sustainable peace and security require African nations to mobilise their own resources and strengthen continental institutions responsible for conflict prevention and crisis management. The appeal comes against the backdrop of persistent conflicts and instability in several parts of Africa, including the war in Sudan, insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and continuing militant threats across parts of the Sahel. The summit placed renewed emphasis on the implementation of the African Union’s early-warning mechanisms and its Peace and Security Architecture, designed to help identify and respond to emerging conflicts before they escalate. Angolan President João Lourenço, who hosted the summit in his capacity as the AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, urged member states to move beyond political declarations and develop concrete, time-bound strategies for preventing conflicts. He stressed that continental commitments must translate into measurable action capable of addressing the root causes of instability. The discussions in Luanda are expected to strengthen calls for greater African ownership of peace and security initiatives, including improved financing, intelligence sharing, early intervention and cooperation among regional organisations. For African leaders, the challenge now is to turn the summit’s resolutions into practical measures capable of delivering lasting peace across the continent.
