The 12th Session of the Executive Council of the African Union
(AU) attended by ministers from 53 AU members concluded late
Wednesday in Addis Ababa, seat of the pan-African body.
During four days instead of three days as scheduled of
closed-door meetings, African unity, Economic Partnership
Agreements ( EPAs) negotiation with the European Union (EU), the
New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) have been duly
discussed and debated.
Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the AU
and the group of RECs (Regional Economic Communities) was signed in
cooperation in economic and peace and security fields.
Ten countries from five African regions have also been elected
as members of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) during the
session. They are Burundi and Chad from central Africa, Rwanda and
Uganda from eastern Africa, Tunisia from northern Africa, Swaziland
and Zambia from southern Africa, and Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali
from western Africa.
The session was held within the framework of the 10th Ordinary
Session of the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government due to
take place from January 31 to February 2 under the theme
"industrial development in Africa."
Highlights of the summit are expected to include the election of
AU Commission chairperson and other members, discussion of peace
and security on the continent and in the Middle East, industrial
development of Africa, and also the African Union Government.
Other topics to be discussed during the summit will include the
adoption of the 2008 AU Budget, consideration of the Reports of the
Executive Council on the Audit of the Union and the Report of the
Ministerial Committee on the Union Government, the Report on the
activities of the Peace and Security Council and the State of Peace
and Security in Africa as well as the AIDS Watch Africa (AWA)
Report.
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(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2008)
