Use international law to promote peace – Kadaga

By Nassiwa Hanifah

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called on world leaders to pool efforts to draw solutions to challenges threatening global peace.

Kadaga cited terrorism, human trafficking and mismanagement of state resources as drivers of insecurity.

“As we have found out in the recent past, a conflict in one part of the world affects people in another part of the world. We need solutions to end threats to global peace,” Kadaga said.

The Speaker made the call while addressing the 2018 Summit on International Cooperation for Sustainable Peace under the theme Importance of International Law for National Status for Peace held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 16 August 2018.

She noted that international law had been able to develop agreed principles to achieve peace on national and international boundaries, but faced some challenges which needed urgent solutions.

She also added that aspects like human rights, rule of law, separation of powers and inclusion of people in the affairs of the state among others, were key in facilitating world peace.

“The United Nations Charter and other international instruments have put in place standards that all nations must abide by both at local and international levels,” said Kadaga.

She told the meeting that international law greatly advocated for the use of peaceful means to solve national crises, adding that there were some limitations under which force could be permitted to be used for self-defence.

“International law has frowned upon the use of force and encouraged peaceful resolution of disputes between states … and judicial settlement of disputes,” said the Speaker.

Kadaga said that the realization of sustainable global peace was a call to the world and individuals in their own capacities to “… identify the sources of conflict and challenges, and find lasting and durable solutions to them.”

South Sudan Vice President, H.E. Prof. James Wani Igga, commended IGAD countries for their role in restoring peace and calm to South Sudan, which he said had been destructive and painful.

“President Kiir Mayardit passed a general amnesty last weekend covering all the brothers and sisters who took up arms against my government,” said Wani Igga, adding that “We must always forgive.”

He also called on youth worldwide to learn lessons from mistakes made and urgently work to restore peace and tranquillity saying, “… media is the best medium and vehicle to exercise this noble obligation.”