War cannot solve anything

Zenawi and Afeworki were seen as a new model for African leaders who are trying hard to bring their people both prosperity and democracy after the plagues of dictatorship, famine and the many other hardships that have afflicted the Third World in recent decades.

All these hopes, however, were shattered by the outbreak of war. At a time when most members of the world community are endeavouring to establish mechanisms for regional cooperation to improve the living standards of their peoples, the slightest dispute in Africa triggers a war. Peace and stability are key factors in any process of economic development, particularly in our continent. As long as wars continue to break out, we must inevitably continue to reiterate these principles.

African leaders, who concluded their 34th summit in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, yesterday, have reportedly agreed to send a delegation to both countries in an attempt to settle their dispute. The message will be: disagree, but do not fight. The air raids the belligerent countries exchanged last week proved that innocent civilians, not armed soldiers, suffer the most from any hostilities.

President Hosni Mubarak, in statements made on Sunday, advised the two countries: "Fighting will not solve the problems. Negotiations and negotiations alone can solve disputes. We have a long experience in this field."