Kenyan President William Ruto, the champion of the African Union’s (AU) institutional reforms, on Monday said conflicts are hindering Africa’s potential, resulting in estimated losses of $18 billion annually, displacing millions of people.

Mr Ruto said Africa currently hosts 35 million internally displaced persons, 8.9 million refugees, 1.1 million asylum seekers, and 1 million stateless persons.

“Between April and June 2024 alone, a total of 1,000 terrorism incidents were recorded across Africa, resulting in 4,818 deaths,” he said during the high-level Extended Bureau Retreat on AU Institutional Reforms held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

The day-long event brought together presidents from Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the Comoros, as well as Moussa Faki, chairperson of the AU Commission, to accelerate reforms of the 55-member continental organisation.

Mr Ruto noted that the AU security architecture in its current configuration is incapable of addressing the continent’s complex dynamics and challenges, and there is an urgent need for immediate revitalisation of the peace and security architecture.

He also said the pan-African bloc’s presence in regional hotspots remains weak, fragmented, and underresourced.

The Kenyan leader added that the continent’s developmental goals were being hindered by destabilising forces, given that peace is the key to development.

 (Xinhua/NAN)