Africa

In 2004, Africa remained a priority concern for the United Nations, whose efforts to restore the conflict zones, especially the Great Lakes region and West Africa, to peace and stability were marked by progress and setbacks. While countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia, with UN encouragement and assistance, were well on their way to overcoming obstacles that had blocked progress in the search for peace, others, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Western Sahara, remained mired in conflict with little immediate prospects of finding mutually agreed solutions. The region suffered a further setback with the rapid escalation of the conflict situation in the Darfur region of western Sudan, which risked further destabilizing the continent. Concerned about Africa’s future stability, the Security Council sent missions to both the Great Lakes region and West Africa during the year to urge leaders and parties to the conflicts to make decisions that would lead to negotiated settlements. The Council held one of its sessions in Nairobi, Kenya, to demonstrate its deep concern for the problems facing the continent. Many of those problems were addressed by the Council, including the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, and enhancing Africa’s peacekeeping capacity.

Related Subject(s): United Nations