The Nyerere Centre for Peace Research has been relaunched by East African Community (EAC) to enhance peace and security, good governance and joint common foreign policy pursuits in order to promote regional integration and development.
The research centre is set to support the EAC in undertaking timely, relevant and empirical research on peace and security issues in the region hence ensuring that policy decisions adopted at EAC level are consistent with other international legal instruments.
The centre that has been revived after a 10-year hiatus is the result of a partnership between EAC and the Arcadia University, USA, and the American Graduate School, Paris, France.
The centre’s research programme is further directed towards determining the causes of conflict, how to address certain conflicts and even the role of gender in conflict prevention and management.
“Well-coordinated independent research, open dialogue, and actionable ideas on peace and security issues are critical ingredients in informing the decision-making process by policymakers and leaders in the region,” said Dr. Stergomena Tax Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign and East African Cooperation.
“We must therefore be intentional in building capacities to secure an environment that is stable and peaceful for enhanced human security,” said Dr. Tax.
“Nyerere believed that peace and freedom must co-exist, that independence for Tanzania was not enough if other countries in Africa were not free and at peace,” she said.
EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki said that Mwalimu Nyerere stood for peaceful and united Africa and that the Community was committed his dream for peace through the revival of the Centre.
“This Centre will be a Resource Centre where scholars and East Africans interested in security and peace research and studies will formulate policies, establish think tanks, share information and become agents that embrace ideals of peaceful coexistence,” he said.
Prof. Warren Haffar of Arcadia University said that the revival of the Nyerere Centre for Peace Research reaffirms the importance of peace building as the best way to attain peace and sustainable development globally.
Prof. Haffar said that there were serious consequences for humanity whenever dialogue was replaced by war as the preferred solution to disputes among groups and societies.
The don said that the Centre would bring together scholars and students to work together for the attainment of the EAC vision of a peaceful and prosperous region.
