•Global peace: stakeholders, experts offer local solutions to conflicts, preach peace

Michael Olugbode and Linus Aleke in Abuja

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Mohamed Fall, has reiterated the need for global commitment to peace, dialogue and reconciliation to bolster sustainable growth. Fall said this in an address on Monday night in Abuja, during the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21.

The event, convened under the theme, “Actions for peace: Our ambition for the #GlobalGoals,” at the Embassy of Germany in Abuja, was established by the UN General Assembly in 1981.

In a related development, peace-building stakeholders and security experts proposed locally driven solutions to conflicts threatening global peace, stating that peace advocacy and sustained dialogue among warring factions are essential to counter terrorism, address emerging security threats, and promote global harmony.

The stakeholders, including Search for Common Ground (SCG) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), offered the home-grown solutions during a peace walk to mark World Peace Day 2025 in Abuja.

Fall stated that the commemoration was to strengthen the ideals of peace among nations and peoples, and stress collective action, trust and solidarity in tackling global challenges.

He said, “We are meeting not only as a day of a calendar of peace, this is for us a renewed promise of peace, dignity and the future.

“Where every woman, every man, every child, every person with disability can live far from fear. It is a message that speaks to Nigeria.

“It speaks to the nation of a great diversity and resilience, but also a nation still facing challenges that test its peace-building process.”

He added, “Conflict which Nigeria faces and across its border, have also forced millions from their home, and they are called displaced people or refugees.

“This is why today we are celebrating more than a date. We are celebrating the journey that take us on to improve the well-being of the people we serve here in Nigeria, but also beyond the border of Nigeria.”

German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, lamented gaps in efforts to prevent conflict and sustain peace, and stated that it was for this reason that the Peacebuilding Commission, Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Support Office were established.

According to her, such have become pillars of a more integrated, inclusive and forward-looking approach to peacebuilding, describing the anniversary as symbolic milestone.

She said, “It is an opportunity to renew our shared commitment to the principles that underpin sustainable peace – national partnership, inclusive governance, long-term partnerships, and a focus on prevention.”

Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Joseph Ochogwu, said the day coincided with the 25th anniversary since the establishment of the IPCR.

Ochogwu said, “We are working bilaterally and multilaterally with the respective institutions from ECOWAS, the African Union, the UN system and other respective multilateral institutions about pursuit of peace.”

A member of House Committee on Peacebuilding and Social Cohesion, Dr. Joshua Gana, stressed the need to silence the guns, bridge divides and build societies rooted in justice, dignity and mutual respect.

Gana said, “Peace cannot be legislated alone, it must be cultivated in classrooms, in homes, in markets and the hearts of every citizen, which is why today’s collaboration with the United Nations is so vital.

“Together we must strengthen local peace infrastructures empower women and youth as agents of change and ensure that our policies are not only well intentioned, but well implemented.”

The event also featured keynote speeches by Mr. Chris Ngwodo, Director-General, Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience, the Head, National Peace Committee, and the First-Secretary, Embassy of Korea, Kwon Yonggyu.

The highpoint of the event was the release of a dove as enduring symbol of peace, freedom and reconciliation, to reflect expression of Nigeria’s commitment to non-violence, dialogue and nation building.

Preaching tolerance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria as a pathway to advancing global peace, Search for Common Ground stressed that effective intelligence gathering, peace-building advocacy, and national unity were antidotes to conflict and the lifeblood of national and global peace.

Speaking during a colourful peace walk in the Wuse District of Abuja, as part of events to commemorate the 2025 International Peace Day, Country Director of Search for Common Ground (SCG), Karno Ouattara, called for enhanced intelligence gathering and information-sharing to tackle the root causes of violent extremism and other threats to global peace.

Ouattara said, “The NSCDC is a key partner we are working with in Nigeria. They are on the frontline of ensuring peace and security. However, security can’t be achieved without engaging with people and gathering information.

“People need to understand that security starts with them – with information and intelligence. But to obtain this information, the NSCDC needs the public’s cooperation. You can’t live in peace with your neighbour if you don’t know them or communicate with them. I believe this is the only way to achieve peace.”

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command’s Commandant of NSCDC, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, stated that Nigeria was employing both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to tackle ongoing security challenges.

The approaches, he said, were already yielding results.

Acknowledging that every country grappled with different forms of conflict, Odumosu stressed that the real solution lied in the approach adopted.

He said, “Conflicts are inevitable, but it’s how we handle them that matters. Instead of confrontation, I believe mediation is the better approach.

“At the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, we have a unit dedicated to this. The goal is to bridge the gap between people and facilitate conflict resolution through alternative dispute resolution, a globally recognised strategy.”

He reiterated that mediation, not confrontation, remained the most effective path to sustainable peace.

World Peace Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 as a day to strengthen the ideals of peace worldwide.

Initially observed on the third Tuesday in September, the date was fixed as September 21 in 2001. The theme of this year’s commemoration is, “Act Now for a Peaceful World.”

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