President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, has urged wives of African leaders to intensify their advocacy for peace on the continent.
Zuma said this when he hosted members of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM), led by its President and wife of Nigeria’s leader, Dame Patience Jonathan, to a dinner in Pretoria on Friday.
Members of the AFLPM are in Pretoria to attend the 3rd Executive Bureau meeting of the Mission.
Zuma, who commended the AFLPM on its significant role of bringing peace and goodwill to conflicts states, urged them to continue in their efforts.
He added that as mothers, their roles in bringing peace and stability to the continent could not be overemphasised.
“Your activities in several areas have proven the practical role of women and this is a blessing to Africa.
“Your support of providing relief materials to victims in crises countries is also a testimony,’’ Zuma said.
He also acknowledged their support to the Kenyan people in 2013.
The South African president appealed for more support for countries faced with different challenges.
“We must all be involved in supporting states who can’t do it by bringing African solution to African problems.”
Earlier, Jonathan, who thanked Zuma for hosting the AFLPM meeting, said the mission provided a strategic platform for the first ladies to play their roles in the peace process in Africa.
“As women, wives and daughters, we have important roles to play in educating our children on the importance of peace, and the activities of AFLPM is important to building this peace.
“We should encourage other women to be instruments of peace.’’
Those who accompanied the first lady to the dinner include Amb. Martins Ohumouhibi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’ s High Commissioner to South Africa, Mr Salihu Yusuf and the Consul General in the Nigerian High Commission in Johannesburg, Mrs Uche Okeke.
Under the leadership of Mrs. Jonathan, AFLPM has been in the forefront of championing the protection of women and children in conflict areas.
It has also helped in the pursuit of capacity building for women groups.
The mission has also donated relief materials to conflicts areas in the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sudan and Niger.
AFLPM, which was established to promote peace and harmony in Africa, came into being in 1995 after the International Conference on Women in Beijing, China.
In recent years, the initiative had been spearheaded by the wives of the leaders of Nigeria, Gambia, Benin, Uganda, Lesotho and Burundi.