AU summit closes with calls for eradicating corruption

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The 30th African Union (AU) summit concluded on Monday with a call for strengthening African unity and the fight against corruption.

The summit, which was held at the headquarters of the pan African block in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from 22 – 29 January, underscored the need to eradicate corruption and poverty on the African content, together with fast-tracking the realisation of AU's flagship Agenda 2063.

Paul Kagame, Rwandan President and current chair of the African Union, said in his closing remarks that the summit was successful, with major decisions that will go a long way in helping the continent achieve its short, medium and long-term goals and prosperity of Africa.

According to President Kagame, the summit mainly stressed Africa's independence, pulling together its resources, working together, being more efficient and more effective, “with one voice and support for each other”.

"Africa isn't going to remain as a place that keeps depending on the kindness of other parts of the world… If we have problems, we mobilise resources and deploy resources to get the results we want," he said.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chair of the AU Commission, said the choice of the fight against corruption is a “very relevant choice”.

"This scourge is impacting the development of Africa," he said, adding that "it is a necessary imperative to fight corruption, which is a matter that has to be everyone's concern”.

The fight against corruption, Mahamat said, "is very, pertinent and… has to be everybody's struggle”.

The Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), the free movement of persons and goods, and the implementation of the Yamoussoukro decision on the single market and liberalisation of air transport in Africa were amongst the major discussion topics of the summit.

The two-day session of the African Heads of State and Government launched the Solemn Commitment on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

The consideration of the report of the Executive Council, the annual report of the chairperson of the Commission for the period January to December 2017, and the report on the implementation of the Assembly Declarations were also part of the summit. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua