Peace is a state of wellness, a feeling of safety and a freedom from disturbance. Peace is felt in an environment of calmness, harmony and security. Security here can be expressed as a state of being free from danger or threat; to feel protected and safe. In this regard, peace and security are usually influential on each other and create the environmental space in which we all would like to exist in.

While peace and security can also mean different things to different countries in the East African Community depending on the challenges facing the state, it is undeniable that the groundwork for the achievement of both is fairly similar. On this basis, it is advisable to use a supranational approach to peace and security over aspects of national sovereignty, mistrust and rivalries between member states.

In addressing peace and security challenges in the East African community, an institutional approach is most likely to give the best results. Specialized institutions to handle issues of peace and security such as the East African Standby Force promote the sense of regional responsibility. With member states watching out for each other and making collective security a pillar in their security initiatives, we come much closer to the goal of a better East Africa.

There are various approaches that can be applied in the quest for a more peaceful and secure East Africa. The first is promoting political security in the region. This can be done by enhancing value systems in the individual states, pushing for political reforms that promote inclusive leadership and strengthening the governance systems. Political stability is important for social and economic spaces to accommodate citizens and development in the region. Another approach to this issue could be tackling the issue of elections on basis of impunity, justice and resolution. With credible elections come stable leaderships with both the ability and legitimacy to engage in discussions of peace and security in the region. Politics and security have been influential to each other in most of the regions’ countries and election reforms would be a step in the right direction. Lastly, there should be efforts by member states to fund our own peace and security initiatives. This is to avoid the imposition of terms on what the priorities should be and conflict resolution strategies that come with the initiatives of foreign states. This would also promote localized solutions that are self-prescribed on issues that are of most effect to the region.

Peace and security provide good grounds for economic development. It should go without saying that security and development are both to be prioritized and neither should take precedence over the other. Good economic management is essential to a more secure and peaceful East African Community that has a more productive human resource capacity. In the spirit of regionalism, human capital development should be an issue of priority all over the region. Human resource can be shared in the region as an approach to economic development.

In as much as the aspect of economic and social development is a key factor, economic development should not supersede the efforts at security. Development has been given priority in terms of funding but this should not be the case. Instead, the two need to equalized because they affect each other. Peace and security are important to the economic sphere and in the suggested ways can enhance socio-economic development.

Sarah Anabel
Also available at https://digitikaeac.wordpress.com/2018/11/29/the-sphere-of-peace-security-and-development-by-sarah-anabel-from-technical-university/