Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa, delivered the third annual Kofi Annan – Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture. The annual lecture, held this year on April 21 and organised jointly with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), honours both Secretaries-General for their unflinching support to ensuring global justice, peace and respect for human rights.
Over the past decade, West Africa has gained considerable ground in consolidating peace and democratic governance after having been ravaged by conflicts, widespread human rights violations, and political instability. ‘These hard-won gains have generally brought stability to the region and enabled positive economic growth and development with the potential to reverse the trend of widespread poverty, youth unemployment, and to promote sustainable livelihoods, good governance and democratic practice,’ said Dr Chambas in his speech.