Addis Ababa - Foreign Ministers and Senior Government Officials of the African Union (AU) member states on Monday met at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the 14th Extraordinary Session of the AU Executive Council.
The Session was convened primarily to deliberate on crucial issues ahead of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the pan-African organization, the then Organization for African Unity (OAU) and now the African Union (AU) .
In addition to discussing the status of preparations of the OAU/AU Golden Jubilee, the ministers met also to consider and adopt the draft Strategic Plan (2014-2017) of the AU Commission, which is said to be instrumental for Africa's transformation towards the realization of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent.
The session was also to consider the progress report on the draft budget of the AU Commission for 2014 as it is based on the Strategic Plan that the annual plan and subsequently the budget for 2014 will be prepared.
In her opening speech, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of AU Commission, recalled that the AU Summit last July adopted the theme for 2013 as "Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance" which the Chairperson said is also the theme for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Union.
The approach to Pan Africanism over the centuries took different forms, but shared a common notion of a unified, politically and economically integrated continent with its own institutions, said the chairperson.
Dlamini-Zuma said that the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of the OAU/AU must be an opportunity to inform and mobilise African citizens including the Diaspora behind Africa's vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent.
"Our 50th Commemoration activities must enable us to develop and grow our own narrative: the stories of pre-colonial history of great civilizations, our struggle against slavery and colonialism, our struggle for self-determination and self-reliance and our process on nation-formation, social transformation and state building over the last fifty years," she said.
Chairing the Executive Council for the first time after Ethiopia taking the Chairmanship of the Union over two months ago, Tewodros Adhanom, Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the 2014-2017 AU Strategic Plan, which is the 3rd one, has drawn lessons from achievements registered and the challenges encountered in the implementation of the previous two Strategic Plans.
"The Strategic Plan should provide us with specific, targeted and measurable outcomes to help us implement the continental priorities and programs with a view to making a difference in the lives of our people," said the minister.
It was noted on the occasion that the full 2014 AU Budget will be tabled for adoption at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in May. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua
