French President François Hollande will be awarded the United Nations cultural agency's peace prize for his "valuable contribution" to peace and stability in Africa, in particular for the country's military intervention in Mali, the agency announced on Thursday. Former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano, who chaired the jury, said Africa caught the attention of the jury due to a number of threats that are affecting the continent. France has played a significant role in recent efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region, and as such the jury decided to award the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize to Hollande. "Having assessed the dangers and the repercussions of the situation on Africa, and on Mali in particular, as well as on the rest of the world, the Jury appreciated the solidarity shown by France to the peoples of Africa," Chissano said, adding that the jury condemned the ongoing conflict in Mali.

France’s Hollande to receive UN peace prize for Mali intervention | WireUpdate | Update to the Minute NewsWire: "The French government decided last month to deploy armed forces in Mali in an effort to prevent rebels from advancing south and reaching the country's capital.

"The Jury condemns the violation of Mali's territorial integrity, the violation of human rights, the taking of hostages and the destruction of the cultural heritage of humanity in Timbuktu," Chissano said. "The Jury therefore decided to award the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize to Mr François Hollande, President of the French Republic, for his great contribution to peace and stability in Africa.""
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