Zanzibar Communiqu

2015 Global Peace Leadership Conference, East Africa

July 22-23, 2015

Preamble and Background

The East African region has witnessed an alarming rise of intra-state and interstate
conflicts in recent decades. Each of these has taken a significant toll in terms of human
lives lost and the suffering of refugees and internally-displaced persons, particularly on
women, children and the youth, as well as adverse impacts on the social fabric, economic
development, physical infrastructure and natural resources of the region, particularly
within its coastal strip.
In response to this grave threat to the security and well-being of the people of East Africa,
the Global Peace Foundation - in partnership with the Government of Zanzibar, the East
African Community and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and with
support from former heads of states and government - co-convened the Global Peace
Leadership Conference (GPLC) East Africa and the East Africa Youth Summit in
Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania, from July 21-24, 2015. These forums have
contributed to forging a consensus on shared principles and values as well as developing
strategies to address the challenges of identity-based conflict, youth leadership and
development throughout the region.
Under the theme, Promoting Peace, Security and Sustainable Development in the East
Africa Region: A Call to Moral and Innovative Leadership, the GPLC East Africa has
also brought together key partners including: the Common Market of Eastern and
Southern Africa (COMESA), the Inter-Religious Council for Peace of Tanzania (IRCPT),
the Zanzibar Youth Education Development Support Association (ZAYEDESA) and
others to seek practical solutions to the problems of violent extremism and radicalization.
Under the Co-Chairmanship of Zanzibar former President H.E. Amani Abeid Karume and
the Chairman GPF Regional Leadership Council Dr. Manu Chandaria (OBE EBS), the
GPLC included the launch of the Africa Leadership Mission on Peace building, Young
Leadership, and Service in collaboration with former heads of state and other
distinguished regional actors. The opening of the conference was graced by His
Excellency Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of the Revolutionary Government of
Zanzibar represented by the 2nd Vice-President, His Excellency Amani Karume, Former
President of Zanzibar, His Excellency Rupiah Banda, Former President of Zambia and
Right Honorable Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister of Kenya along with the special
envoys of H.E. Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Former President of Ethiopia and H.E. Olusegun
Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria.
The 2015 GPLC East Africa has advanced strategies to reduce conflict, build social
cohesion, and promote ethical governance through moral and innovative leadership. It

Zanzibar Communiqu
has also documented best practices and proven models that advance social and political
stability, prosperity, competitiveness, and security on the foundation of universal
principles and shared values, guided by the vision of One Family under God. It builds on
the vision of the 2010 Global Peace Convention Nairobi Declaration and the 2015 Kigali
Interreligious Declaration.
Participating leaders of intergovernmental, regional and business organizations have
attested that peace is a perquisite for the security, regional integration and business
prosperity that is needed to address poverty and development challenges facing the
region.

Zanzibar Communiqu Call for Comprehensive Action

The partners including EAC, IGAD, COMESA, GPF, IRCPT and others have agreed to
engage in a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to address identity-based conflict on
the foundation of shared principles and values advancing peace, development, and youth
leadership. This approach weaves together the efforts of diverse sectors in an ongoing
campaign of action by youth, interfaith communities, business entities, regional bodies,
and other public and private stakeholders. These action areas include and are being
further supported by partners in the following areas:
1. Africa Leadership Mission on Peace building, Young Leadership and Service:
With the host chairmanship of H.E. Amani Abeid Karume, Former President of Zanzibar,
ten distinguished statesmen including eight former heads of state and government have
joined the Africa Leadership Mission to champion peace and security in Africa and
further develop policies and strategies of support addressing identity-based conflict,
youth empowerment, and development throughout the region. Leaders in this critical
effort include: H.E. Amani Abeid Karume, Former President, Zanzibar; H.E. Rupiah
Banda, Former President, Zambia; Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister of
Kenya; H.E. Kenneth Kaunda, Founding President, Zambia; H.E. Girma Wolde-Giorgis,
Former President, Ethiopia; H.E. Sir James Mancham (KBE), Founding President,
Seychelles; H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, Nigeria; and H.E. Joyce Hilda
Banda, Former President, Malawi along with Dr. Manu Chandaria (OBE EBS) CEO of
Comcraft and GPF Regional Leadership Council Chairman and Dr. Markandey Rai,
Senior Advisor of United Nations Habitat.

2. Regional Governmental Initiatives:

Zanzibar Communiqu
The East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development
(IGAD) (CEWARN Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism) and Common
Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) have joined together to advance
business and regional integration, interfaith cooperation, youth empowerment, service
and development initiatives through ongoing action-oriented partnerships that resulted
from the GPLC.
3. Interfaith Peace building:
The Global Peace Foundation, Inter-Religious Council for Peace of Tanzania and its
womens leadership arm, United Religions Initiative, Interreligious Council of Kenya,
and other interfaith partners from Kenya, Uganda, Zanzibar, Tanzania and the Middle
East have agreed to engage in ongoing programs of peace education and interreligious
bridge-building to foster trust and good will and to prevent radicalization and identitybased conflicts in the region. This effort will build upon and further implement the Kigali
Declaration of 2014, which was supported by the East African Community and interreligious partners. In addition to interfaith partnerships and education, this aspect of the
peace campaign will also augment social media messaging with the Clouds Media Group
and GPLC media partners.
4. Youth Leadership Engagement:
Programs of youth interfaith sensitization and leadership engagement in peace building
will continue after the GPLC and Youth Summit, in partnership with governors, faith
leaders and youth organizations on the Coast and throughout the East African
Community. Programs including United Generation (U-GEN), IRCPT youth interfaith
campaigns, and the COMESA Youth Program, in partnership with GPF, will be further
developed, disseminated and implemented, including young leadership and service
initiatives of the Africa Peace Service Corps.
5. Role of Business:
IGAD sponsored the Business Roundtable track of the conference to augment corporate
and business leadership efforts in advancing the nexus between Business and Peace. This
session chaired by the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Richard Sezibera, established that
there is sufficient data from the region that illustrates conclusively the need for businesses
to be proactive in peace and development initiatives. A series of expert presentations that
formed the agenda also emphasized the need for more direct support from the private
sector in conflict mitigation in the region due to the reinforcing relationship between
thriving businesses and peace. In addition a strong argument emerged from the discussion
that the private sector needs to invest in early warning

Zanzibar Communiqu
mechanisms that are critical for timely response to conflict. A framework for privatesector and civil society engagement in proactive conflict intervention initiatives that
emerged from this forum will provide guidelines for follow-up action plans and
implementation by IGAD CEWARN, EAC, COMESA, GPF and other partners in the
region (Annex).
Key Results Anticipated
Outcomes of this GPLC and ongoing partnership process shall include:
A. Improved interfaith collaboration and ongoing program development and
implementation across sectors of government, civil society, the business sector
and regional bodies to mitigate identity-based conflict and violent extremism.
B. Regional partnership linkages will be developed between nations in East Africa
and the Middle East for strategic cooperation in peace-building, combating
extremism and trade development.
C. Increased commitment to regional stability, social and economic progress that
empowers young leaders in the region in developing and implementing service
and youth entrepreneurship initiatives.
D. Enhanced contributions to regional integration and progress toward sustainable
development goals and peace facilitated by young leaders.
Dissemination and Ongoing Program Partnership
This Zanzibar Communiqu shall be disseminated to Regional bodies and the Africa
Union, along with other Zanzibar GPLC proceedings reports addressing the issue of
violent extremism. It shall be further incorporated by member Countries in the discussion
on violent extremism during the United Nations General Assembly session that will be
held in New York in September.
Further, the co-conveners and partners, in collaboration with the Africa Leadership
Mission, shall develop public and private partnerships and resource generation to
implement ongoing programs and to produce evidence-based reports of the outcomes of
interfaith peace building, youth leadership, business initiatives, and development of the
programmes described above.
We collectively express our profound appreciation to our hosts in Zanzibar, its authorities
and people for graciously hosting the conference and for their warmth and peaceful
hospitality.
For more details Contact :
4

Zanzibar Communiqu
Salim Abdallah - digreport22@gmail.com / 255713999999
Martha Nghambi mnghambi@globalpeace.org / 255652366256