Inaugural session of OAU summit
Regional, Politics, 7/10/2001

The opening session of the 37th Summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) wound up Monday afternoon with the participation of more than 35 African heads of state and governments.

The African participants held an evening session to look into the issues tabled on the agenda.

The opening session lasted three hours. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher is attending the summit on behalf of President Hosni Mubarak.

President Frederick Chiluba was the first to address the OAU summit as he underlined the importance of this summit, as it is the first to be held in the new millennium and the last for OAU before turning into the African Union.

OAU Secretary-General Salem Ahmed Salem, on his part, first congratulated UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who attended the session, on his win of another five-year term in office.

"We are looking forward for more work and cooperation with Annan and the UN at the time we crystallize the African Union," Salem said.

"Though we are frustrated because of devastating effects of the African conflicts, we decided to make peace and stability a basis for sustainable development," Salem said.

He called for more active participation of African women in the various development marches, stressing that this should be clear in the African Union.

Addressing the session, Annan said he would work with other sides to give the African continent the priority it deserves by the international community.

He lauded leader of Libyan Revolution Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's efforts as regards the establishment of the African Union.

Annan warned the Africans, especially the young men from AIDS, stressing that this disease is the first reason behind death in the African Continent.

"We have to beat this disease before it first defeats our efforts to bring peace and development. In order to do so, we have to defeat ignorance and malnutrition," Annan said.

Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat, on his part, said the Palestinians are still paying clearly for attaining their freedom in face of Israeli forces that are using missiles, tanks and internationally banned arms against them.

Arafat added that there are about 360,000 jobless Palestinians, referring to Israel's repeated attacks on the holy places and confiscation of lands.

Arafat lauded the African countries' support to the Palestinians in their endeavors to regain their rights, including setting up a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

"A just and comprehensive peace is our strategic option" Arafat said, stressing that since the assassination of late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli governments have kept on ignoring the signed agreements and dictating their unfair terms on the Palestinians.

"It became clear that Israel wants the land, security and peace all together, "Arafat said.

Arafat voiced hope that Israel would agree on the new initiative put forth by the Palestinian leadership on Thursday and which is based on Mitchell recommendations and the Egyptian- Jordanian initiative.

Previous Stories:
  Reconciliation among Africans given top priority   (7/9/2001)
  UN conference adopts firm stand against firearms   (7/9/2001)
  Egypt stresses necessity of realising African integration   (7/7/2001)

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