Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned that a deficit of trust remains the most serious challenge undermining peace efforts across Africa, saying it continues to weaken conflict mediation outcomes and long-term stability on the continent.
Speaking during the 2026 Johannesburg Arbitration Week in South Africa, Kenyatta noted that while it is often possible to reach agreements in conflict resolution processes, sustaining those agreements remains difficult due to weakened trust between governments and citizens, as well as among communities.
He said this trust gap continues to frustrate peacebuilding efforts even after formal settlements are concluded.
Kenyatta made the remarks during the “Statesmen in Dialogue: Leadership and Dispute Resolution in Africa” high-level panel, which brought together former heads of state to reflect on governance and mediation.
Drawing from his involvement in peace and mediation efforts in countries including South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, he stressed that effective governance, inclusive political processes and equitable distribution of resources are key to addressing the root causes of conflict in Africa.
He also cautioned that growing fragmentation within continental institutions has weakened the cohesion that once characterised early Pan-African cooperation.
According to him, this erosion of unity has made collective responses to conflict and development challenges more difficult. “Unity is not just an ideal, it is a necessity.”
The three-day forum was hosted by the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) and brought together arbitrators, policymakers, business leaders and academics under the theme “Arbitration in a Fragmented Global Order: The Future of Trade, Investment, and Sustainable Development.”
Other high-level participants in the panel included former Presidents Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.
The Johannesburg Arbitration Week (JAW) explores key initiatives shaping dispute resolution, with a particular focus on Africa’s growing role in this field.
The event brings together local and international business leaders, government officials, senior executives, arbitrators, legal experts and business innovators to discuss important developments, build networks, create new alliances and champion dispute resolution as a cornerstone of Africa’s economic success.
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