Partnership among nations critical to peace, sustainable dev’t -IPCR boss

By Ochiaka Ugwu

Partnership between countries of the world is critical to achieving durable peace and sustainable development, the Acting Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Bakut tswah Bakut has said.
Bakut, who made this known in Abuja yesterday in an international lecture organized by the Institute and the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria with the theme, “Peace building Policies in Asia and Africa: The Japanese and Nigerian experiences” noted that conflict and peacebuilding have been in the forefront of national, regional and international discourses.
He said the commitments were aimed at addressing violent conflicts and their consequences which have taken a huge toil on humanity.
Bakut informed that countries have increasingly recognized the fact that peace building is an integral part of every phase of development and partnership.
“We at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution see this lecture as a good beginning for better cooperation between us and the Institutions/Universities in Japan and the government of Japan. As a research institute we are interested in exchange programmes and comparative studies that are of interest to our countries” he said.
In his remarks, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr. Yutaka Kikuta who was represented by the Deputy Head of Mission/Counsellor, Mr. Shigeru Umetsu stressed the need to tolerate each other by taking cognizance of our diversities which if managed better will ensure peace and stability.
Shigeru said that peace and stability promotion are very critical in their relations with Nigeria.
Also speaking, Prof. Hideaki Shinoda who delivered a lecture titled, “Regional Gaps of Contemporary Peace Operation, Asia Models and Role of Japan” noted the need for more synergy between Nigeria and Japan since both countries have similar experiences in their peace building process.
Prof. Isaac Olawale Albert of the Institute who delivered lecture on “Peacebuilding Policies in Africa and the Nigerian Experience” enumerated push factors of exclusion, deprivation, horizontal inequality, persecution or the perception thereof; limited access to quality and relevant education; rights denial; historic grievances; weak family system; weak educational system as the main cause of conflict.