Addis Ababa (Union, Agencies)
Yesterday, the work of the 36th session of the leaders of the African Union kicked off in Ethiopia, raising the slogan “Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area”, in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, amid calls for solidarity, combating terrorism, and demanding a permanent African seat in the UN Security Council. He urged Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, member states of the African Union to believe in the principle of solidarity, calling for a permanent African seat in the Security Council. This came in a speech delivered by Abiy Ahmed, yesterday, at the opening of the ordinary African Summit at its 36th session in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
Abiy Ahmed said, “We have to believe in the principle of African solidarity to overcome challenges,” noting that “the problems of the continent should not go beyond its borders, and their solution depends on us.”
He added, “I demand that our continent obtain a permanent seat on the Security Council.”
On the food crisis that tops the agenda of the meetings, the Ethiopian Prime Minister considered that “it is time for our continent to become self-sufficient in food.”
He warned that climate change is one of the most important challenges facing Africa, pointing out that the continent is committed to investing in clean energy.
Yesterday, the work of the regular African Summit at its 36th session began in Addis Ababa, while the food crisis and security issues impose themselves on its agenda.
During the opening session, the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, said: The countries of the continent are resisting terrorism despite the absence of solidarity among them.
The issue of terrorism is among the most prominent files presented to the current summit in light of the expansion of terrorist organizations in the west of the continent, around Lake Chad and in the Horn of Africa. Last Wednesday and Thursday, the 42nd session of the Executive Council of the continental organization was held, in preparation for the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. The Union elected the President of the Comoros, Ghazali Othman, as President of the African Summit, to succeed Senegalese Macky Sall. “Our organization has shown the world its conviction that all countries have the same rights,” said Osmani, who called for the complete cancellation of African debt.
Before handing over the presidency, the President of Senegal (the former president of the summit) presented a report on the food crises on a continent severely affected by the consequences of the war in Ukraine, especially the rise in prices.
The meeting witnessed the discussion of many reports related to peace, security and development in Africa and the renewal of the membership of some subsidiary bodies, as well as draft resolutions that will be presented to the summit.
Before the summit, discussions took place the day before yesterday about the situation in eastern Democratic Congo, where armed groups are deployed, especially in the border area with Rwanda, in the presence of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame.
At this meeting, the heads of state of the 7-country East African Community called for “the withdrawal of all armed groups by March 30”.
According to Ethiopian diplomatic sources, a closed meeting brought together Antonio Guterres and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in which they discussed the need for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the Tigray region to ensure full peace.
The two parties discussed the peaceful conflict between the government and the “Tigray” rebels, in addition to the situation on the border between Sudan and Ethiopia and the existing efforts to settle the differences between Khartoum and Addis Ababa.
In his speech to the summit, Guterres said, “The democratic civil order must be restored in Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso.”
He added, “Terrorism is expanding on the continent and the state of insecurity complicates the tasks of the United Nations, and we are with silencing the voice of guns in Africa.”
The other issue on the agenda is the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is supposed to house 1.3 billion people and become the world’s largest market by population.
State leaders will focus on accelerating the completion of the free zone, which aims to boost intra-continental trade and attract investors. Intra-African trade currently accounts for only 15% of the continent’s total trade.
The World Bank believes that the agreement will create 18 million additional jobs by 2035, and could help lift up to 50 million people out of extreme poverty.
According to United Nations figures, the total gross product of this region will reach $3.4 trillion, but the continent is witnessing unresolved differences.
The agreement was signed by all the African Union countries (55 countries) except for Eritrea, but discussions are faltering regarding the timetable for reducing customs duties, especially for the least developed countries.
United Nations: $250 million for crises, including famine, in Africa
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday that the organization will spend $250 million from its emergency fund to address “forgotten crises” around the world, including helping communities facing famine in Africa. “The largest allocation ever from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund was announced,” he told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual summit of the African Union in Ethiopia.
