THE KAMPALA DOCUMENT
Towards a Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa
The Kampala Document: Towards a Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa emerged from a gathering in 1991 that was convened at the initiative of the Africa Leadership Forum. The Forum, a non-governmental organization involving former heads of state and prominent Africans from many countries, is headed by Olusegun Obasanjo. The Kampala Forum, in May 1991, was also co-sponsored by the secretariats of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.The document published here is an abridgement of the report published by the Africa Leadership Forum. The wording is taken directly from the original. Omitted words or phrases are indicated in the text by ...; transitional phrases inserted by the editor for clarity are set off by brackets.
The full version of The Kampala Document was published by the Africa Leadership Forum, P.O. Box 2286, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria or 821 U.N. Plaza, 7th floor, New York, NY 10017.
In Kampala, Uganda on May 19-22, 1991, over 500 African leaders, including a number of former and current heads of state, gathered for discussion on the continent's problems. Initiated by the independent African Leadership Forum, the conference was co-sponsored by the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The Kampala Document was issued at the end of the conference.
General Principles
Every African state is sovereign. Every state respects the rights inherent in the territorial integrity and political independence of all other African states.
The security, stability and development of every African country is inseparably linked with those of other African countries. Consequently, instability in one African country reduces the stability of all other African countries.
The erosion of security and stability in Africa is one of the major causes of its continuing crises and one of the principal impediments to the creation of a sound economy and effective intra- and inter-African cooperation.
The interdependence of African States and the link between their security, stability and development demand a common African agenda ... Africa cannot make any significant progress on any other front without creating collectively a lasting solution to its problems of security and stability.
A Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA) should be launched to provide a comprehensive framework for Africa's security and stability and measures for accelerated continental economic integration for socioeconomic transformation. CSSDCA shall encompass four major areas henceforth called calabashes: security, stability, development and cooperation.
A new order embodied in the framework of CSSDCA must be created [to] guide the conduct of governance in individual African states as well as the imperatives of intra-African and inter-African relations. The implementation of the new order should seek an active partnership and positive involvement of the rest of the world.
The fulfillment in good faith of all the CSSDCA principles must be adhered to by all participating states within the context of any other obligations each participating member may have under international law.