Statement at the Thirty First Ordinary Session of Assembly of Heads of State and Government

"Our inability to bring greater, timely and meaningful assistance to the United Nations in the field of peace-keeping, our lack of an institutional structure within the Organization which can co-ordinate Africa' s response to peace observation or peace-keeping needs, as well as the fact that we are actually involved in some form of peace-keeping even if marginally, have strengthened me in my view that we need to build an African capacity in the field. I have had opportunity in the past to speak of the setting up of ready contingents within the armies of our countries, which we could keep on call and make readily available to the United Nations and exceptionally, to the OAU when circumstances warrant and demand. I believe that this is one of the concrete ways of enhancing Africa's capacity in peace-keeping. It is by no means the only one." - Dr. Salim, June 26, 1995