President of the Republic Chairperson of the African Union calls for Greater Unity and Integration for an Africa of Peace, Security and Development

During the closing session of the thirty-seventh ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, His Excellency the President of the Republic, the rotating Chairman of the African Union, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, affirmed on Monday that he will spare no effort to achieve remarkable progress in the priorities and courses of action identified during the next phase.

His Excellency called on the leaders of the member states of the African Union to further unity, integration for Africa, security, peace and human rights, Africa good governance and sustainable development, and an Africa that is empowered and has a strong dynamism on the international scene.

The speech reads as follows:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

May Allah’s prayers and peace be upon the most honorable of the Messengers,

Your Majesties, Excellencies and Excellencies, Kings and Heads of State and Government of Member States,

Your Excellencies Ministers,

Excellencies, Ambassadors,

Representatives of Member States,

Your Excellency the Chairperson of the African Union Commission,

Representatives of international and regional organizations,

Dear Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to renew my thanks to the Ethiopian government and people for their warm welcome and hospitality. I would also like to congratulate my brothers, the Heads of State and their delegations, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and his distinguished teams for the valuable presentations and reports made, for the fruitful and constructive discussions, and for the wonderful work accomplished during these two days.

Together, we have learned the most important lessons from the implementation of our first ten-year plan, and we have adopted the second ten-year plan within the framework of the implementation of Agenda 2063, which sets out our priorities for the next phase.

These priorities revolve around giving education, this year’s theme, the highest priority in order to build educational systems that provide universal access to quality education and training and are suitable for the twenty-first century. Redoubling efforts to restore security and stability and to the peaceful resolution of inter-regional conflicts.

These priorities also include strengthening our continent’s presence on the international scene, in particular by seeking a permanent seat on the Security Council, as well as seeking to reform the international financial system and promoting a more just and equitable multilateral system. Emphasis will also be placed on the actual implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area and its supporting infrastructure program.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The African citizen may feel that our emphasis on these priorities and programs is in many aspects a kind of repeated talk, and the origin of this feeling has is his urgency to reap the fruits of these plans and projects, and he has the right to hurry, the circumstance is pressing and the crises are acute and diverse, and the ability of our various systems to withstand is weak in general, but the reality is that we are in the context of a fiftieth agenda that has not expired except its first decade, and its progress may not be at the pace that we all hope for, but it is progressing, trust all that I will spare no effort With your support and efforts, together we can make remarkable progress, especially in the priorities and courses of action identified.

The Africa we all want, the Africa of security, peace and human rights, the Africa of good governance and sustainable development, an empowered and decision-making Africa with a strong dynamism on the international scene, is not just a choice between other options, nor just a closed hope, but rather a necessity of survival and a question of destiny, We have no choice or a quicker way to reach solutions to the multidimensional problems and challenges facing our countries than through joint action within the framework of our Organization and our Union.

Therefore, as I announce the conclusion of this thirty-seventh ordinary session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, I renew my call for greater unity and integration.

I thank you and may God’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.”