United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb. 18, 2023. The 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly kicked off on Saturday as African leaders, UN officials and leaders of various international organizations gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The integration of Africa, rebuilding Africa from the brunt of various health and socioeconomic crisis, ensuring continental peace and security, socio-economic development, as well as representation of Africa in multilateral international institutions took center stage at the AU Assembly Summit. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly kicked off on Saturday as African leaders, UN officials and leaders of various international organizations gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The integration of Africa, rebuilding Africa from the brunt of various health and socioeconomic crisis, ensuring continental peace and security, socio-economic development, as well as representation of Africa in multilateral international institutions took center stage at the AU Assembly Summit.
The two-day summit, slated from Feb. 18 to 19 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa is being held under the theme of the year for 2023 "The Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation."
Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat addressing the opening session called on African leaders to focus on the realization of Africa's flagship aspirations, mainly the silencing of guns across Africa, AfCFTA and continental integration, as well as the 50-year continental development blueprint Agenda 2063.
"Our session is being convened in an international context marked by worrying uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts, fragmented economic governance and unforeseen consequences for Africa," he said.
Faki highlighted African solidarity and togetherness toward addressing the impacts of global and continental challenges. He further emphasized the crucial role of expediting the implementation of the continental free trade act.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on his part echoed the AU Commission Chairperson's remarks as he emphasized the enormous tests that Africa and the rest of the world are facing on virtually every front.
"A dysfunctional and unfair global financial system that is failing developing countries when they need it most...climate chaos that is whipping up floods and deadly droughts, putting communities and lives at risk and displacing millions; peace and security threats," the UN chief said.
Guterres emphasized the need to strengthen investment and financial support to Africa's development aspirations.
"Africa is rich with potential, but it is not rich in global support. Investing in African pathways to prosperity requires finance, and developing countries are repeatedly left in the lurch," Guterres said.
During the summit, Comoros's President Azali Assoumani took over the one-year term rotating AU chairmanship from the outgoing Senegalese President Macky Sall. The Comorian President, in his acceptance speech, emphasized the need to exert concerted efforts toward the betterment of Africa and its people.
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on his part emphasized the need to tap into the potential of the notion of African solutions to African problems in addressing various political, social and economic challenges that the continent is facing.
He said African solutions and initiatives have proved effective mainly in addressing peace and security perils, which include the recent peaceful resolution of the two-year-long conflict in northern Ethiopia.
"At the heart of the principle of African solutions to African problems lies a belief in African solidarity, African agency, and the equal dignity of all human beings," he said. ■
This photo taken on Feb. 18, 2023 shows the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly kicked off on Saturday as African leaders, UN officials and leaders of various international organizations gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The integration of Africa, rebuilding Africa from the brunt of various health and socioeconomic crisis, ensuring continental peace and security, socio-economic development, as well as representation of Africa in multilateral international institutions took center stage at the AU Assembly Summit. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat addresses the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb. 18, 2023. The 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly kicked off on Saturday as African leaders, UN officials and leaders of various international organizations gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The integration of Africa, rebuilding Africa from the brunt of various health and socioeconomic crisis, ensuring continental peace and security, socio-economic development, as well as representation of Africa in multilateral international institutions took center stage at the AU Assembly Summit. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)