Integrity Key to Governance… (2)
President Muhammadu Buhari’s integrity remains an asset to Africa at a period the continent is facing multiple challenges and the need for good governance and stability on the continent. The Chairperson of African Union Commission, His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat made this remarks recently when he delivered a lecture titled “Good Governance and Regional Security: Strategic Options for the African Union’’ to participants of National Defence College Course 27. He further reiterated that Africa Heads of States appointed President Buhari to lead the charge against corruption on the continent due to his integrity and disposition as the continent is faced with issues of corruption, poverty, human rights violation, insecurity, human trafficking among others. He also asserted that Nigeria remains a major pillar in getting African countries out of the present quagmire.
In another development, the Chairperson African Union Commission expressed concern over the large numbers of African youths migrating to European countries and the attendant deaths on the sea. He concluded that this portrays a symbol of dis-functioning of the systems of governance in African States, especially on the factors motivating the movements. He however, noted that while the African Unions is collaborating with other commissions and unions to end the crisis. He further asserted that the solution is not repatriation, but creation of Jobs, training of youths and urgent end to bad governance.
The Chairperson African Union therefore commended the effort of the Nigerian Government in the establishment of National Defence College to train Strategic level officers which will contribute their respective quota in solving some of these challenges of insecurity when deployed to the field.
The Commandant, National Defence College Abuja, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo while making his remarks described, the National Defence College as the highest strategic tri-service training and research institution in Nigeria and Sub-Sahara Africa. He added that the College undoubtedly ranks among the best strategic level institutions for higher management of defence in the world. He reiterated that in the 26 years of existence of National Defence College Abuja, the College has trained some of the finest military and para military senior officers within and outside as well as their civilian counterparts, who have made and still making significant contributions to national security and development in their respective countries. He concluded that the lecture delivered by His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat was aimed at reinforcing the leadership foundation of the core mandate of the National Defence College, Abuja. He explained why the National Defence College considered it necessary to invite no other eminent personality on African affairs to discuss the subject matter, than the African Union Commission Chairperson.
His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat was born in the town of Biltine in the Eastern Chad. He is a constitutional lawyer by profession. He attended University in Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, where he studied law. He went into exile when Hissein Habré took over power on June 7, 1982 where he joined the Democratic Revolutionary Council headed by Acheikh Ibn Oumar. He did not return to Chad when Acheikh joined with Habré in 1988. He eventually returned on 7 June 1991, after President Déby took over power. He was Director General of two ministries before serving as the Director General of the National Sugar Company between 1996 and 1999.
Subsequently, he served as Director of the Cabinet of President Déby from March 1999 to July 2002, and he was Déby’s campaign director for the May 2001 presidential election. His Excellency Faki was then appointed as Minister of Public Works and Transport in the government of Prime Minister Haroun Kabadi, which was named on June 12, 2002. After a year in that post, he was appointed as Prime Minister by President Déby on June 24, 2003, replacing Kabadi. The appointment of Faki was unusual because, with Faki being a northerner, it meant that both the President and Prime Minister would be from the north; typically the post of Prime Minister was given to a southerner in order to balance the fact that the Presidency was held by Déby, a northerner. Faki resigned in early February 2005 amidst a civil service strike and a rumoured quarrel with President Déby.
His Excellency Faki was nominated as a member of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council on 19 January 2007 and was then elected as the Council’s President in mid-February 2007. In the government of Prime Minister Youssouf Saleh Abbas, which was announced on 23 April 2008. He was then appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At the continental level and during his tenure as Foreign Minister of Chad, His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat chaired the United Nations Security Council for the month of December 2015. He also chaired the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in September 2013 and steered the Nairobi Extraordinary Summit on the fight against Terrorism. He also served as Chairman of the African Union Executive Council. His Excellency Faki has a formidable global reputation as a peace broker in Africa in a career that has placed a central focus on peace and security issues in Africa.
On 30 January 2017, he was elected to succeed South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as Chairperson of the African Union Commission, defeating Amina Mohamed of Kenya. Hissein Brahim Taha was appointed to replace him as Chadian Minister of Foreign Affairs on 5 February 2017.
