Effectiveness of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises on the African continent with regard to African solutions to African problems
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR ORAL REPLY
QUESTION NO: 317 (NO2649E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO: 7-2014 OF 5 NOVEMBER 2014
MS DD RAPHUTI (ANC) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:
(a) In view of the fact that the African Union decided that (a) there must be African solutions to African problems, including problems with regard to peace and stability, and (b) there must be no change of government by unconstitutional means, (i) how effective is the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises on the continent, (ii) in which countries has this stand-by force been employed and (iii) why has she found are there still negative forces and militias who seek to undermine peace and stability in certain parts of the continent? NO2649E
REPLY:
(i) Consistent with the principle of African solutions to African problems, the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC) is an African-led and funded military intervention mechanism, made up of Volunteering Nations, whose purpose is to rapidly respond to crisis situations on the African continent. It is an interim measure while the building blocks of the African Standby Force’s Rapid Deployment Capability, which is expected to be fully operational in 2015, are being put together. South Africa is at the forefront of efforts aimed at ensuring that the ACIRC becomes a success and ultimately contributes to the eradication of conflicts in Africa including an end to unconstitutional changes of government. This nascent mechanism is expected to be operational by the end of 2014.
(ii) Since it is still at its planning stages, though at an advanced level, ACIRC has therefore not yet been deployed anywhere on the continent.
(iii) Indeed, the continent continues to grapple with conflict as a result of negative elements including militia activities that incessantly reverse the gains of the continent’s collective and individual efforts. From pre-colonial times, Africa has always been part of the international community; negative forces have been at play.
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