Moussa hailed the declaration of African Union
Regional, Politics, 3/3/2001

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will receive a report from Foreign Minister Amr Moussa on the outcome of the emergency African summit held in Sirte city, Libya, on Thursday and Friday.

In statements following his return to Cairo Friday from Sirte, Moussa hailed as a major accomplishment the declaration of establishing an African Union.

The Sirte summit succeeded in crystallizing African will, Moussa said in reference to participants' resolve to materialize the union.

On the other hand, Moussa, who led his country's delegation to the extraordinary African summit, hailed as "successful" the Sirte 2 summit which saw the declaration of the "united states of Africa".

Speaking to reporters Friday on the sidelines of the summit, Moussa said it succeeded in crystallizing the African will that there is no turning back on the imminent African union after 51 of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) member states signed it.

So far, 30 African countries have ratified the constituent bill of the "united states of African".

Moussa expected the other African countries, which signed the pact, to ratify it to guarantee the legal quorum which represents two thirds of the OAU 63 members.

"The Sirte summit proved that all African countries are interested in and enthusiastic about the establishment of the African Union, which is to replace the OAU one year after its ratification", he said.

In statements, Moussa added the coming Lusaka African summit, due in July, will finalize procedures for the African Union because the legal quorum was not secured during the Sirte.

He expected the quorum to be realized by July, adding that with the Lusaka summit the African Union will come into force.

During the Sirte summit, Egypt contributed to solving some legal, procedural and political problems, said the top diplomat.

On new aspects regarding the African Union distinguishing it from the OAU and whether the economic aspect will overcome the political one in the union's activities, Moussa made it clear that the political, economic, legal and organizational aspects of the African Union are different from those of the OAU.

Moussa asserted that the substance remains similar between the union and the OAU, namely, accentuating African solidarity and protecting the continent's interests.

The establishment of the African Union is an advanced step agreed upon by African countries in the 1991 Abuja treaty and had a timetable which, according to Moussa, is different from the OAU which is a regional organization in the traditional sense.

Sirte II summit mirrored a determination on implementing this advanced step quickly to alter the organization look of African action, said the Egyptian Minister.

He said that the body that will run the African Union is closer to the European Union system, namely, the European Commission.

On whether the African Union would cancel the OAU as an old and outmoded organization, Moussa stressed that the "old. could be 'renewed.

On the voting system in the would-be African Parliament, he said the parliament will have equal representation and will discuss issues of mutual interest until creating the necessary political awareness to elect a parliament that would take into consideration population and countries representations. Moussa made it clear that this step will come in the future and not at the moment.

Asked about the Egyptian-Libyan initiative on reconciliation in Sudan, the top diplomat spoke of lengthy bilateral and trilateral meetings with his Sudanese and Libyan counterparts on the fringe of Sirte summit.

On the Egyptian-Nigerian proposal to convene an African conference on security cooperation and stability in the continent, Moussa said the proposal was Nigerian and Egypt found it a good idea that could serve African national.

He said an agreement was reached that discussion of the issue, which was put on the agenda of the Sirte II summit was put off to the coming Lusaka summit.

Moussa asserted that the summit was devoted to the African Union and the African Parliament.

The remaining issues on the agenda as well as mechanism on running the union and its general secretariat would be addressed during the Lusaka summit, he added.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa discuss Sirte summit, Palestinian, Iraqi situation   (3/1/2001)
  The Arab League and the African Summit   (3/1/2001)
  Sirte summit probes African Unity mechanisms, security   (2/28/2001)

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