31 January 2014
South Africa will continue to support a temporary standby force capable of responding quickly to crisis situations in Africa, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele said on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Thursday.
On Thursday night, African heads of state gathered for at the summit continued to debate the implementation of the African Immediate Crisis Response Capacity (AICRC), with the majority of countries said to be in favour of the initiative.
Cwele told SAnews that there was some “confusion” that the AICRC would derail the formation of a permanent African Standby Force, which many want to be operational by 2015. But he remained convinced that the AICRC would be operational very soon.
“It is supported,” he said. “Yes, there was confusion that it will stall the [implementation] of the Africa Standby Force. But many heads of state believe both initiatives will complement each other, so both are being supported.”
According to the AU, the AICRC should be an efficient, robust and credible force that can be deployed rapidly, conducting operations of limited duration and aims or helping to create conditions for the deployment of larger AU and/or UN peace operations. It is seen as an interim too,l as the African Standby Force is meant to be operational by 2015.
The stopgap AICRC would comprise a reservoir of 5 000 troops made up of operational modules in the form of 1 500-strong battle groups. Command would rest with the AU Peace and Security Council, which would asses all requests for intervention by member states.
On a voluntary basis, member states of the AU would contribute troops and finance for the AICRC to enable it to to act independently.
In May last year, South Africa, Ethiopia and Uganda were the first support the initiative and pledged to provide troops should the need arise.
Some African leaders believe that, had such an interventionist force been in place, the violence which erupted in Mali early last year, and events that led to the current atrocities in the Central African Republic, could have been averted.
South Africa has been the strongest supporter of the AICRC initiative, with Cwele saying the country remained convinced that the plan would go through. Last year, President Jacob Zuma hosted several heads of state in Pretoria where the plan was given the thumbs-up.
“Countries are starting to commit … money and are contributing logistical support,” Cwele said. “We are for it. We have been supporting it right from the beginning. If the AU is asking us [for troops], we have always said we are committing to it. We fully back the whole initiative.”
Source: SAnews.gov.za
