African Union born in Durban Summit
Regional, Politics, 7/11/2002

African heads of state who gathered on Tuesday at a huge stadium in the South African city of Durban officially launched the African Union (AU).

Addressing the gathering, South African President Thabo Mbeki, the first African leader to chair the new union, said it is time to work for creating a better future for the African peoples.

He underlined the importance of setting up necessary bodies to achieve economic, political and social integration in Africa.

Without stability and peace there will be no sustainable development in Africa, he added, stressing the need to rally efforts between the Africans and the new union to face up to all challenges besetting the continent.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in addition to a number of former African leaders attended the ceremony.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher who led Egypt's delegation to the African summit said that the new African Union represented a new stage of unified African action to strengthen cooperation among African countries and move it to an advanced stage.

In an interview with Egyptian television screened Tuesday night, Maher stressed the importance of economic cooperation among African countries.

There is a big opportunity now to increase this cooperation, he said.

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