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The second summit of the African Union is scheduled to be held on Thursday as about 30 heads of state and government of the African continent have constantly flown into Maputo to sketch the future outline of the continent.
The summit will run from Thursday to Saturday in the capital of Mozambique which will take over the revolving AU presidency from South Africa
According to the program available here, during the three-day summit, African heads of state and government will elect new chairman of the AU Commission and discuss the issue of New Partnership for Africa's Development as well as other issues concerning conflicts in the region and economic development.
Since Arama Essy of Cote d'Ivoire, the interim chairperson of the AU Commission, gave up the competition for the post, Alpha Oumar Konare, the former president of Mali, becomes the only candidate for the chairman of the AU Commission, responsible for the sailing of the one-year-old AU.
At the opening ceremony of the AU summit, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who arrived here on Tuesday, will address the summit and is expected to meet with representatives from the conflict-ridden Great Lakes region.
The African Union envisages a Peace and Security Council, Pan African Parliament, common court of justice and, eventually, a common African currency.
Outgoing AU chairman and South African President Thabo Mbeki is expected to arrive here late Wednesday after hosting his US counterpart George W. Bush in Pretoria in the morning. Bush is currently on a five-nation tour of Africa.
Greeted by Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, accompanied by members of his government and the diplomatic corps accredited to Maputo, Nigerian President Olusegun obasanjo, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso have already arrived in Maputo.
But Cote d'Ivoire and Egypt will be represented by their respective foreign ministers.
Meanwhile, African first ladies are scheduled to convene their second annual meeting Thursday on the HIV/AIDS pandemic, parallel to the AU summit here.
(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2003)
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