Mr. Chaib presides over the opening ceremony of the 10th edition of Africa Amnesty Month

Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the National Community Abroad, Mr. Sofiane Chaib, today presided over the opening ceremony of the 10th edition of "Africa Amnesty Month." Hosted by Algeria—marking its inaugural hosting in North Africa—the event is held under the theme: "Advancing the 'Silencing the Guns' Initiative and Promoting Sustainable Peace Through Shared Experiences in Combating Small Arms and Light Weapons and Mine Action Measures." The ceremony took place in the presence of a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council and members of the African diplomatic corps accredited to Algeria.

In his opening address, the Secretary of State emphasized that Algeria's hosting of this edition reflects its steadfast commitment to the principles of peace, reconciliation, and African solidarity, as well as its ongoing support for continental efforts aimed at realizing the "Silencing the Guns" initiative across Africa.

He stressed that the escalation of conflicts, humanitarian crises, the proliferation of terrorism, organized crime, and illicit arms trafficking necessitate stronger collective African action and addressing the root causes of conflicts to translate political commitments into tangible results on the ground. Reaffirming Algeria's readiness to share its expertise and national experience—particularly in mine action and addressing colonial-era explosive remnants—he underscored the imperative of bolstering African Union mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution within the framework of "African solutions to African problems," free from foreign interventions that fuel crises and arm conflicting parties.

Furthermore, Mr. Chaib highlighted the need to adopt an integrated African approach to counter the illicit proliferation of small arms, light weapons, and landmines. This approach combines combating illicit financing and trafficking networks, strengthening state capabilities, involving youth, women, and civil society, and raising awareness regarding the threats these phenomena pose to peace and development. In this context, he called upon African Union Member States to observe "Africa Amnesty Month" through national awareness campaigns and initiatives, reiterating Algeria's commitment to supporting continental efforts to silence the guns in Africa by 2030 and to realizing the aspirations of the AU Agenda 2063 for a safe, stable, and prosperous continent.