The African Union Commission chairperson Jean Ping on Monday urged Africa to devote more efforts on integration, which has been discussed by members states for the past few years syas the African Press Agency.
Addressing a session of AU permanent representative committee in Addis Ababa he said many crucial continental issues are on the agenda of this week’s AU summit. He told the meeting that a lot of discussion was still needed to realize African integration, and asked the ambassadors to work hard for the realization of this and other continental projects.
Ping said the African Union government, financial affairs of the AU, NEPAD integration with the African Union Commission and Afro-Arab partnership will be discussed during the three-day meeting of the permanent representatives. The ambassadors will prepare various documents for the executive council meeting scheduled to be held January 29-30 ahead of the weekend African heads of state meeting.
The Tanzania ambassador to Ethiopia and AU, Mohammed O. Maundi who is chairing the meeting said that 27 substantive items including financial, economic and political issues will be discussed in the three-day meeting. “We will be navigating on all these issues amidst a myriad of challenges confronting our continent,” he said.
“Although progress has been made in peace and security, civil unrest caused by natural and man-made factors continued to pull back our efforts to prosperity,” he added. He said poverty and underdevelopment are posing a serious challenge, particularly in light of the recent global financial crisis.
“The economic outlook of the continent for this year is therefore not as encouraging as we would like it to be,” he said. “Due to the global economic recession that is ensuing, we are expecting declines in commodities prices, remittance, investments and inflow of international tourists,” he said.
