Qathafi calls African leaders to unite at Sert's inauguration summit
Regional-Libya, Politics, 7/5/2005

Works of the ordinary fifth summit of the African Union states was opened yesterday in the Libyan Sert city with the participation if 53 heads of states and governments. The Libyan leader Muammar al-Qathafi called at the summit's opening session, which lasts for two days, the African leaders to get out of the cycle of differences and unite to enable progress for the continent.

In his speech, Qathafi indicated to the revolution in telecommunications in the world and the role of this revolution in maintaining closeness in space and time, noting the need of making use of time to this end.

Issues pertinent to abolishing debts of poorest countries, conflicts and the representation of the continent at the UN Security Council are all issues listed on the top list of works of the summit which is being held prior to the summit of the G-8 in Scotland Wednesday and Thursday, of which part will be dedicated to dealing with African continent issues.

The African Union said that the chairman of the European Union commission Jose Manuel Pariso will take part in the inauguration ceremony and will deliver a speech. Besides the summit will be attended by the UN secretary General Kofi Annan and the secretary general of the Arab league Amr Moussa.

Several African presidents will ask during the summit their counterparts in the G-8 Great states for supporting development and unconditional cancelation of the debts to the poorest countries and removing trade obstacles which prevent African countries from having access to the markets of the rich countries.

Poverty fighting activists say that the leaders of the G-8 Group have a unique opportunity to rescue 30,000 children who die daily because of drastic poverty and this can be done by doubling aid to the poor countries especially in Africa, and providing medical care to countries of the continent which have become vulnerable to diseases that cannot be avoided without health care which is often not existed or beyond the level or very rich.

The African leaders are to discuss conflicts in the continent especially in the Sudan's Darfur district, the Ivory Coast, Burundi and Somalia. It is, however, expected that the leaders will call for increasing western financing for peace missions carried out by the African Union especially the force deployed in Darfur to monitor ceasefire and restore stability to the region.

Since the African Union which is composed of 52 countries in 2002 replaced the African Unity Organization which was established in 1963, it has been organizing two ordinary summits yearly for heads of states and government.

The last African summit was held in Nigeria's capital Abuja by the end of January this year.

Previous Stories:
  Libya hosts 50 heads of state in the African Union summit   (7/2/2005)
  African Union foreign ministers in Libya   (7/1/2005)
  Qathafi presses for a united Africa   (6/17/2005)

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