African Summit approves African Union agreement
Regional, Politics, 7/11/2001

The 37th ordinary session of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) concluds meetings in Lusaka today.

African leaders and heads of delegations have discussed issue on the summit's agenda and elected former Ivorian Foreign Minister Camara Issy as the OAU new secretary general.

Camara will be assigned with supervising the one-year interim phase before the establishment of the new African Unity.

Meanwhile, African heads of state and government, held late Tuesday a closed-door working session.

The African leaders voiced deep concern over the spread of illicit small arms trade.

They sent a message to participants in a two-week UN conference, currently in session in New York, on the illicit small arms trade.

The African leaders said such illicit trade would further increase unrest and conflicts in world countries.

The UN conference will end on July 20 with the adoption of a plan of action on ways to stop the illicit trade.

This plan of action is being negotiated among governments attending the conference.

Moreover, the participants endorse on Tuesday the nomination of Sayed Qassem El-Masri to be a member of the United Nations Commission for Combating Torture to run for the November elections.

Egypt and Nigeria were also nominated as members of the second category, Algeria, Cameroon, Mauritius and Senegal members of the third category at the International Civil Aviation Authority during the September elections in Montreal, Canada.

The African countries also accepted supporting the nomination of Guinea and Cameroon for the UN Security Council's non-permanent seats during the elections of September.

The nomination of Egypt and Algeria for the UNESCO executive council office was also approved.

UNESCO elections are slated for October and November in Paris.

The Organization also approved Egypt's candidacy for the UNIDO's Industrial Development Council's membership.

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher urged the African states to join efforts to face challenges besetting the development march in the continent.

Addressing the 37th session of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Maher, who attended the session on behalf of President Hosni Mubarak, called for unifying efforts in order to achieve the economic and social integration and cope with global changes.

Maher called for respecting the OAU's principles to preserve security and stability of the continent.

He underlined the importance of Arab -African cooperation, especially in the economic and social fields.

The Lusaka Summit began on Monday with more than 34 African heads of state and government taking part.

Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and former South African President Nelson Mandela attended.

Previous Stories:
  OAU Ministerial Council wound up its meetings   (7/10/2001)
  Inaugural session of OAU summit   (7/10/2001)
  Reconciliation among Africans given top priority   (7/9/2001)

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