DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 30 -- PEACE is one of the greatest assets any nation can possess, yet its value is often fully appreciated only when it is threatened or lost. Any nation should, therefore, never play around with peace because without it, development, economic prosperity and social stability can quickly unravel.

Peace provides the foundation upon which a nation builds its economy and improve the welfare of its people. Farmers need peaceful communities to cultivate their land, businesses need stability to invest and create jobs and governments need a secure environment to provide essential services such as education, healthcare and infrastructure.

When peace is disrupted, these activities suffer, often leaving ordinary citizens to bea...