afrol News, 18 April - South Africa's Minister of Minerals and Energy, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has urged representatives of Africa's diverse faith traditions to focus on conflict prevention - and not only resolution - by pursuing progressive and effective strategies that promote peace. Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka called for the adoption of pragmatic policies for peace and development, saying there was "more talk about conflict resolution than about conflict prevention."

The South African Minister was opening a three-day meeting on the role of women in peacemaking, ahead of the Second Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa Summit, coordinated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and hosted by the National Religious' Leaders Forum of South Africa (NRLFSA) in Johannesburg.

She challenged the over 100 participants attending the ongoing three-day "Mothers and Daughters Pre-Summit" to be more actively involved in deliberations at crucial levels, as their influence would improve the quality of life in their societies. Good policies, she noted, must work for the ordinary person. "Our policies can sometimes be very fancy, but if a policy doesn't work for a woman then it can't work at all. If it works for a woman it works for everybody."

Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka lauded women in Africa for their leading role in promoting peace in different parts of the continent. She remarked women were "not necessarily angels" but key contributors to the socialisation of the mind and therefore crucial players in peace-building. The quest for peace, she emphasised, cuts across all religious faith.

In his welcoming address, the summit's convenor, LWF General Secretary Ishmael Noko of Zimbabwe, said the pre-summit was a forum to encourage women to relate and network in order to overcome challenges facing their respective communities. "Do not only speak about the dilemmas for Africa but also about the hope for Africa," he said.

He described the religious diversity of Africa as "a blessing", adding that the Summit provided a unique opportunity for the continent's faith traditions to pursue common problems. Subjects to be discussed in the next three days of the pre-summit include strategies for mainstreaming gender into peace building and inter-faith programs. Participants will also share their experiences about women's empowerment in peacemaking; and the role of women and mothers in nurturing peacemakers.

At the main summit, 21-25 April, the women will present their meeting's outcome in "A Mother's Cry for a Healthy Africa." Seven faith traditions are represented in both meetings, taking place in Benoni, near Johannesburg.

Participants in this second inter-faith peace summit are convening to review their plan of action adopted over two years ago, calling for the active engagement of religious leaders in conflict resolution and peace building initiatives on the continent. The theme of the summit is "Working Together for Peace in Africa." Also African media are participating, discussing their role in working for peace.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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