Intensified diplomatic efforts are needed to prevent conflicts from escalating into global warfare, Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo has said.
“We must make a collective effort to stop the world’s slide into world war,” Alupo urged, speaking during the Eurasian Women’s Forum 2024 (EAWF) which is taking place in St. Petersburg.
She expressed deep concern over ongoing armed conflicts in several regions, particularly in Africa, including DR Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic. Alupo’s address also focused on the significant role of women leaders in promoting peace and responsible governance. She stressed that women must take an active part in shaping diplomacy and creating solutions to global challenges.
Speaking to RT on the sidelines of the forum, Alupo emphasized the importance of the EAWF, saying that the “forum highlights the very key issues globally, which makes it very important for me to come and share experiences with the women from across the world and learn new experiences from them.”
In an exclusive interview with RT, Mikateko Joyce Maluleke, Director General at the South African State Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, stressed the significance of global female solidarity in addressing issues of oppression and economic empowerment.
Maluleke emphasized the need for women from different countries to learn from each other’s experiences, especially where significant strides have been made.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, speaking at the forum, accused Western states of perpetuating terrorism in Africa to serve their own interests.
“Аfrica suffers from terrorism because it has been brought in from the outside, because it is profitable for Western companies to trade weapons by constantly creating new problems there. Under the guise of fighting terrorism, it becomes profitable and possible to seize resources, sow chaos, political instability, and interfere in internal affairs,” Zakharova said.
This year the EAWF, which is being held for the fourth time, has attracted over 2,000 participants, including 600 foreign guests from 126 countries and international organizations, according to Valentina Matvienko, the head of the Russian Federation Council and former St. Petersburg governor.
The forum was created in 2015 as a platform promoting the role of female leaders in the modern world and has been held every three years since. This year’s forum is taking place from September 18 to 20 in St. Petersburg.