The Vice President, Jessica Alupo, has arrived at Addis Ababa international airport in Ethiopia ahead of the 36th ordinary Session of the AU Assembly (Heads of State and Government Session).
The two day summit will be held on February 18th and 19th under the theme: “Climate change and global food insecurity – key drivers of humanitarian needs”.
Alupo is representing President Yoweri Museveni.
The summit is expected to rigorously evaluate the ongoing implementation of Agenda 2063, according to Ethiopian Permanent Representative to AU, Ayele Lire.
Ayere said that the summit is anticipated to majorly assess the status of Agenda 2063, Africa’s development blueprint to achieve inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over a 50-year period.
“It is 10 years since the African Union Agenda 2063 was launched. So the upcoming 36th AU is going to evaluate how we worked and the problems we faced. It also reviews the activities of the reforms being undertaken within the African Union itself to enable this continental organ fulfilling its priorities,” the representative noted.
Meanwhile, the 42nd ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) kicked off on Wednesday with a call for increasing efforts to deepen continental integration and toward realizing Africa’s development aspirations.
The meeting, comprising foreign affairs ministers from AU member states and runs from Feb. 15 to 16, is being held under the AU’s theme of the year for 2023 “The Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation.”
Addressing the executive council, chairperson of the AU Commission Mussa Faki Mahamat said the evaluation of the implementation of the first decade of the AU’s 50-year continental development Agenda 2063 has shown that Africa is moving forward, yet the continent has a long way to go.
“The success of the implementation of the second decade (of Agenda 2063) will depend on the level of how we take into account the various obstacles, including the effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of the decisions of the policy organs,” he said.
Faki called for continental efforts in order to strengthen the position of Africa at the multilateral level, and also to look at the shared values that can be better harnessed.
The AU Commission chairperson also expressed concern over increasing peace and security threats as well as unconstitutional change of governments, which are some of the major continental challenges affecting Africa.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Acting Executive Secretary Antonio Pedro on his part called on African countries to exert concerted efforts towards the realization of the continental free trade area.
“The AfCFTA’s continental market provides the economy of scale in manufacturing, leading to increased intra-Africa trade, eventually bringing supply chains closer to home and injecting a degree of self-sufficiency in essential products such as medicines, food and fertilizers,” he said.
He said the continental free trade pact, by providing more opportunities for women and youth, helps reduce inequality and poverty, and improve inclusion.
Pedro, however, said 10 African countries are yet to ratify the agreement establishing the AfCFTA, which compromises the realization of the full aspirations of the free trade pact.
“Only through an accelerated and effective implementation of the AfCFTA can Africa build sufficient shock absorbers to build resilience,” Pedro said.
Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, on his part, emphasized the crucial role that the AU and pan-African actors are playing in ensuring peace and security across the continent.
He underscored the AU’s role in bringing an end to the two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia.
“Over the past two years, we are grateful to see that our faith in the African Union has been vindicated,” Mekonnen said.
“Africans should lead their endeavor to silence the guns in Africa. We call for optimal use of our peace and security architecture. This will help us address the remaining challenges in conflict management, prevention and resolution,” he added.