Cheikh Niang, Minister of Foreign Affairs: "Peace in Africa cannot be imported, delegated, or improvised."

The 10th edition of the Dakar International Forum concluded at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center (CICAD). The Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, summarized the proceedings, the central theme of which was: "Africa facing the challenge of stability, integration, and sovereignty: what sustainable solutions?"

Speaking at the closing ceremony, he praised the quality of the discussions. He affirmed a shared "feeling" on the imperative for the continent to "take its destiny into its own hands in a spirit of regional solidarity."

"Sovereignty does not mean isolation."

According to the minister, this edition "confirmed the forum's maturity by constituting a moment of truth" where the continent's vulnerabilities were examined without complacency. Cheikh Niang expressed a conviction that emerged from the discussions, declaring that peace in Africa cannot be "imported, delegated, or improvised." According to the summary of the proceedings, it rests on three pillars: legitimate institutions, resilient economies, and inclusive societies.

He warned that there can be no lasting security where trust between the state and the citizen is eroded, adding that stability "cannot be decreed, it must be earned" by addressing the root causes, such as precariousness, exclusion and radicalization, particularly among young people and women.

On the economic front, the minister placed the requirement for sovereignty at the forefront. He called for the local processing of natural resources to create value chains and jobs, in order to overcome the "paradox of a continent rich in resources but lagging behind development standards."

Towards a “Dakar Doctrine”

Cheikh Niang clarified that this political, strategic, food and digital sovereignty "does not mean isolation", but the choice of "win-win" partnerships based on mutual respect.

Furthermore, regional integration, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has been presented as an "absolute necessity" to address cross-border threats (terrorism, trafficking, cyber threats, climate crises) that no state can face alone.

Finally, he stressed that African Unity (AU) must be embodied in strong institutions and well-funded mechanisms. In this regard, he endorsed the emerging proposal for a "Dakar Doctrine" on conflict prevention, aimed at anticipating crises rather than responding to them after the fact.

“Africa is entering a decisive moment and can be a key to stability in a world in flux,” concluded the Minister of Foreign Affairs, thanking the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, and his counterpart from Sierra Leone and current Chairman of ECOWAS, Julius Maada Bio.