'Old boys' launch Africa Forum
2006-01-13 12:35
Maputo - A select "old boys' club" of former African heads of state has been established in Maputo, with former president Nelson Mandela as its patron.
The veterans had formed the Africa Forum as an informal network to help strategise plans for the development of the continent.
Its members also included former United Nations secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt and former Organisation of African Unity (OAU) secretary-generals, William Mboumouma of Cameroon and Ahmed Salim Ahmed of Tanzania.
John Pesha, interim executive secretary of the Africa Forum, said: "It is a group of elders. Elders don't reprimand - they advise."
Pesha said: "This is a forum aimed at networking and complementing work in the area of peacemaking." Pesha was a former Tanzanian diplomat based in South Africa.
Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, who spearheaded the initiative, was elected chair, while former president of Benin, Nicophore Soglo, was his deputy.
Culture of peace
Chissano said on Thursday that the forum was an informal platform, where former African leaders could map out strategies to assist the political, economic and social development of the continent.
He said: "After a reflection, we saw that it was necessary for our experience to contribute to the positive development of our continent."
In a press statement on Thursday, the veterans said they were encouraged by the emergence of democracy and a culture of peace in Africa.
They were also pleased that more heads of state were relinquishing their power after their terms of office expired.
It's brainstorming sessions would keep in mind the goals of the African Union, which replaced the OAU, and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad).
The forum's first annual meeting would be held in mid-2006. Pesha said an executive secretariat would also be established at that time.
He said the forum would approach the South African government about the possibility of basing the secretariat's offices in South Africa.
The forum had been established with the support of the Africa Institute of South Africa.