AU Chairperson urges African FA Ministers to respect principles of democracy

Addis Ababa– The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Professor Alpha Oumar Konare, called on the African Union Foreign Ministers to ensure the implementation and respect of good governance, democracy, non-indifference, gender equality amongst other things which he said are principles adopted by the AU Member States themselves, according to AU press release issued today.

Professor Konare was speaking yesterday 27 January 2008, at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, while presiding at the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, within the framework of the Tenth Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place from 31st January – 2nd February 2008, in Addis Ababa.

Addressing the AU Foreign Affairs Ministers, Chairperson Konare also expressed deep concerns about the maintenance of peace and security within the continent, the reinforcement of the Commission as well as the representation of African diplomatic missions abroad, the leadership of Africa and its socio-economic and political integration and the need for an African common industrial policy in inline with the theme of the AU Summit: "Industrial Development of Africa".

"Africa is one from north to south and from east to west, there is nothing like northern Africa opposed to sub-Saharan Africa", said the Chairperson of the Commission. He also said partnerships should not be done in a fragmented way between stakeholders and African countries, but rather in solidarity by letting Africa speak with one voice.

Assistance to Member States in Times of Crises

Concerning the principle of non-indifference, Chairperson Konaré was emphatic on the need to assist member countries in times of crises. He pointed out the case of the serious drought faced by eastern and southern African countries, the Palestine issue "considered by others as a problem of the Middle East" now affecting Egypt, and the Somali and Darfur conflicts which he said are the origin of greater instability of neighbouring countries and Africa as a whole.

He however thanked countries that contributed to the deployment of peacekeeping at request of the AU Commission, especially, Burundi and Uganda.

Regarding the Kenyan presidential post electoral conflict, Chairperson Konare seriously condemned what he described as a systematic violation of human rights. "We can not sit and observe another genocide, after drawing lessons from the Rwanda genocide", he emphasised.

Professor Konare also urged the Former Chief Executive of the Anjouan Island, Union of the Comoros, Mohamed Bacar, to comply with the AU democratic principles to resolve the problems in his country. "If the President does not want to cooperate, the AU will be obliged to impose other measures to restore peace in the Comoros" the Chairperson said, adding that the issue affects the credibility of the Commission.

Chairperson Konare Argues for One Pan-African language and Press Freedom

According to the press release the issue of adopting a common pan-Africa language also was raised during the Chairperson´s address at the opening ceremony. "Swahili should be institutionalised in schools and national languages should be promoted to consolidate our identity and foster African integration", Professor Konare noted.

The Chairperson also made note on freedom of the press as well as liberty of expression. He lauded journalists for painting a real picture of the African Union through their constructive reports. "There is no democracy without the press ", he explained.

Earlier press freedom watchdogs like Reporters without Borders described Eritrea, an African country which stood last on the international press freedom index recently, as one of the worst and deadliest countries for journalists on earth along with Iraq.

Taking the floor later, the UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Abdoulie Janneh, underscored the need to support Africa´s aspirations of the NEPAD and African Peer Review Mechanism to help develop the continent.

Concerning the theme of the Summit, Mr. Janneh explained that industrial development in Africa would reduce the dependence of African countries on production and export of primary commodities as well as integrate firms and businesses into global value chains. This, he said will help the continent to become dynamic, diversified and technologically advanced.

Representing the Chairperson of the African Union, Ghanaian President, John Agyekum Kufuor, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the Executive Council, Akwasi Osei-Adjei, said, one area which is critical to the ongoing transformation process of the Union is the implementation of the Accra Declaration on the Union Government.

He commended the work done by the Ministerial Committee to that effect and that of the High Level Audit Panel whose report shall be considered by the Council, the press release concluded.

In case you are snooping, Omer Redi is a Web Journal Deputy Editor in Chief and Web Master for a renowned wire media in Addis Ababa and frequently contributing author for American Chronicle. He welcomes requests from media within and outside Ethiopia which wish to have him as freelance writer on issues on Ethiopia, African Union (AU) - which is based in Addis Ababa near to Omer´s place- as well as the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

Omer would also be covering the 10th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place from 31st January – 2nd February 2008, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

January 2008©Omer Redi