Ron Nechemia the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the EurOrient Financial Group Address on the Accession of Africa Day Celebration 2010 “Peace and Security in Africa”

Mr. Ron Nechemia the Chairman of the Board of Governors
of the EurOrient Financial Group Address on the Accession
of Africa Day Celebration 2010 “Peace and Security in
Africa”


May 25, 2010 – The annual observance of Africa Day offers an opportunity to reflect on Africa’s
prospects and its plight. On this Africa Day, I would like to reaffirm the support of the EurOrient Financial
Group for the work of the African Union and for the efforts of individual African men, women and children
to build better lives in larger freedom.

Africa Day is an annual commemoration of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (“OAU”)
on May 25, 1963. On that day 32 independent African states signed the founding charter in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia. In 2002, the Organization of African Unity became the African Union. Africa Day is celebrated
around the world.

On the occasion of the commemoration of Africa Day, today 25 May, 2010 we recall that on the 25 May,
1963, the leaders of the then independent Africa, made history and gave significant impetus to the continent's
collective but then incomplete struggle for independence, by establishing the Organization of the African
Unity. Nearly, four decades followed, in which African states stood united in the framework of the
Organization of African Unity, while making efforts to give depth and meaning to their political independence
and striving for the socio-economic development of their peoples. Those efforts yielded positive results,
culminating in the establishment of the African Union (“AU”).

In a statement to the African Group, Mr. Ron Nechemia the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the
EurOrient Financial Group and the founding father of private sector developing banking commemorate the
Day, the Chairman praised the African Union and other home-grown initiatives among a range of positive
trends underway.

Working Together for Integration and Development

The African Union continues to strengthen its institutions for conflict prevention, resolution and
management. The process of democratic consolidation continues to gain impetus, with many countries
achieving successful transfers of power through open electoral processes. Implementation of the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (“NPAD”) is gathering pace, with progress in several programmes,
including the African Peer Review Mechanism to which 25 countries have voluntarily subscribed, through
policy reforms and through mobilizing domestic resources.

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Yet much of Africa, especially in South of the Sahara, continues to suffer the tragic effects of violent conflict,
extreme poverty and disease. In Darfur, attacks and displacements have continued, and at least 2 million
people are in urgent need of assistance. In too many countries, poverty and the huge burden of disease, in
particular the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, are inflicting widespread suffering and reversing hard-won
development gains, leaving Africa behind the rest of the developing world in achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.

“Until more of our efforts are focused on preventing crises from arising, we will always be one step
Behind, stressed Mr. Nechemia and he added “while we can rebuild houses, roads, hospitals and schools, we
can never give back life where it has been taken away. For this reason, it is imperative that the
international community invests more in prevention, risk reduction and adaptation.”

Focus on “Peace and Security in Africa”.

Africa today is afflicted by fewer serious armed conflicts than it was just six years ago. In 1998, there were 14
countries in the midst of war and another 11 were suffering from severe political turbulence. Today, less than
half-dozen African countries are suffering from serious domestic armed conflicts and very few other countries
are facing deep political crises.

The United Nations and the rest of the international community have been "responding more readily" to
armed conflicts in Africa, but much credit for the improvement also rests with Africa. The African Union,
various sub-regional organizations and a number of governments have become more active in mobilizing
military forces for peacekeeping missions or in defusing political crises before they escalate into large-scale
violence.
“In the area of security and the protection of civilians some progress has been made, but pockets of instability
remain, as deep sense of mistrust remains in same part of the African continent and in some cases the parties
are not actively engaging in the peace process between the government and various rebel groups,” said Mr.
Nechemia.
Situations like those in Darfur, northern Uganda, Somalia, and DRC, where civilians continue to suffer the
effects of war, present stark evidence that the immediate and long-term human costs of failing to prevent
armed violence – and delaying our response to it – are immense.
An Agenda for Peace
Development is an indispensable foundation for our efforts to prevent the outbrack of violent and conflict.
Without it, States will lack the capacity to exercise their sovereignty responsibly, to break free from endemic
patterns of conflict, and to build sustainable peace. Meeting the Millennium Development Goals is thus an
integral component of the mission of the EurOrient Financial Group.

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Among those challenges of preventing both new and old dangers there is no higher goal than preventing
armed conflict. This calling is even more pressing today than at any time in history, because of the cross
cutting issues and the interconnected nature of today’s threats. Around the world, a triad of poverty and
disparity, disease and war creates a cycle of death. Civil violence, human rights abuses and poverty make weak
States vulnerable to transnational organized crime, terrorism and illicit trafficking in human beings, drugs and
weapons. That is why sustained international cooperation to address all of today’s threats is an imperative.
EurOrient Financial Group urge the Security Council to continue to integrate cross-cutting themes into its
work – especially for key drivers of conflict such as small arms proliferation, exploitation of natural resources,
gender equality concerns, the spread of HIV/AIDS, human rights violations and challenges to civilian
protection.
Mr. Nechemia stressed: "We cannot close our eyes to the massive scale of human rights violations and
consequent human suffering in African continent in the past and present. We must intensify are collective and
individual and efforts to find a definitive solution to these problems.” And he continued “I am convinced that
exposing and holding the perpetrators, including their accomplices, accountable, as well as restoring the dignity
of victims through acknowledgement and commemoration of their suffering, would guide societies in the
prevention of future violations.”

Africa is poised to capitalize on its potential. On this Africa Day, let us rededicate ourselves to fruitful
partnerships in pursuit of peace and sustainable progress for all the continent's people.
About EurOrient
EurOrient Financial Group is a private sector global development finance institution accredited by the United
Nations General Assembly on Financing for Development. The mission of the EurOrient Financial Group is
to support the economic and social development efforts of the less developed countries as they, in particular,
seek to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (”MDGs”).
The EurOrient’s principal objective is to reducing poverty and promoting sustainable economic growth.
EurOrient invests in projects and programs that promote social development, build human capacities, and
address host government priorities for investments in physical infrastructure that promote and enhance social
development. These projects include roads, transportation and communication systems, water, sanitation and
other types of investments with social development outcomes such as improved quality of life and increased
human knowledge and skills.
More detailed information can be found on the EurOrient’s website: http://www.eurorient.org/.
EURORIENT FINANCIAL GROUP EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

Public Affairs
Media Relations
Phone: 818-990-5080 Phone: 818-206-5322

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Fax:
818-990-5566 Fax: 818-990-5566
Email media.center@eurorient.org

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