LASTING PEACE AND STABILITY IN AFRICA KEY TO UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
Addis Ababa, 17 Rabiul Awwal 1434/29 January 2013 (MINA) – The current president of the African Union (AU), Hailemariam Desalegn said that only with the lasting peace and stability may Africa”s potential for development and prosperity be unlocked.
Desalegn, also Prime Minister of Ethiopia, was unanimously elected as head of the Pan-African body in this capital to start the twentieth AU summit, which ended here today with the assistance of representatives of the 54 AU member states of the bloc.
He stressed that the emergence of severe conflicts in some parts of the region requires urgent measures for their resolution, according to Prensa Latina report received by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA), Tuesday.
The African Union summit is meeting under the theme “Pan-Africanism and Africa’s renaissance,” and is also analyzing issues such as internal conflicts in Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Somalia and disputes between the two Sudans.
The AU chairman promised to prioritize and implement projects to stimulate agriculture and industrialization on the continent.
“Without a shadow of doubt, Africa should maintain the current pace of growth achieved over the past decade” he said, adding that this is only possible if structural changes were successful.
He also regretted that Africa remains behind in its planning of major development goals.
Desalegn stressed that the summit should plan to form a working group of heads of state, led by the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to head a campaign for the interests of the continent.
Boni Yayi, outgoing AU chairman, regretted the lack of effective structures at the office of the presidency and advocated for the creation of a committee of high-level experts to review the configuration of the African bloc.
At the same time, he highlighted the necessity of reforms to strengthen the body and help resolve conflicts in the region. (T/P09/E1)
Miraj News Agency (MINA)
