Use the Browser BACK button to return to listings

Abuja, January 30, 2005

President Mwai Kibaki and other Heads of State and Government arrive for the 4th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union at International conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.

Kenya's role in peace processes hailed

President Mwai Kibaki was today among 40 Heads of State and Government who attended the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Abuja, Nigeria.

During the meeting, Kenya was commended for her frontline role in the search for peace in the continent and particularly in the horn of Africa.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, which was called to order by African Union Chairperson, who is also the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan hailed Kenya for spearheading the Somali and Sudan peace processes to their logical conclusion.

In hailing Kenya's role in the search for peace, the United Nations Secretary-General called on African leaders to find homegrown solutions to the problems facing the continent. He cited the success in the peace processes of Sudan and Somalia as evidence that Africa can solve her problems. He urged African leaders to join hands in resolving conflicts and other problems afflicting the continent instead of relying on interventions from outside the continent.

He said that the recently signed peace accord in Nairobi should be implemented to the letter to guarantee peace in Darfur. He also called for urgent measures towards containing the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The UN Secretary General also urged African leaders to be in the forefront in the fight against HIV/AIDS and Malaria saying no development can be achieved if the two diseases continue ravaging the continent.

In his opening remarks, host President Olusegun Obasanjo called on the African leaders to work together towards peace, security and stability in the continent. He said Africa could only achieve faster development if it fully embraces the values of democracy. The Nigerian leader stressed that it was only through closer political and economic integration that the African continent will be able to enhance its bargaining power in the international arena.

He said time has come for Africa to stand and be counted among other continents in its development efforts rather than be seen as a weakling always in need of a helping hand.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Alpha Konare spoke on the need for Africa to speak with one voice at the United Nations on the issue of the proposed review within the UN system.

"There is need for the continent to speak with one voice and to participate more effectively in this discussion so as to be able to assert Africa's influence on the proposed review " he said.

Konare called for total cancellation of debts of African nations and doubling of grants to the continent to enable it meet the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015.

In his address, the Secretary General to the Arab league Amre Mousa called on the promotion of closer relationship and the identification of common interest between the African Union and the Arab league. He said the current global trend towards market consolidation demands that Africa moves with speed in its integration process. He said his organization is willing to direct funds from Arab financial institutions to assist in the funding of NEPAD programmes.