South Africa welcomes African Union summit
8 June 2015
African leaders from across the continent have gathered in the capital for the 25th
summit of the African Union (AU), which runs until 15 June, under the theme: "Year
of women empowerment and development towards Agenda 2063."
It is being hosted by South Africa for the first time since the formation of the AU in
Durban in 2002.
It follows the World Economic Forum on Africa, which was held in Cape Town from 3
to 5 June. According to the Department of International Relations and Co-operation
(Dirco), it is an opportunity for South Africa to showcase to the world a country that
embodies the spirit of partnership and commitment to Africa's socio-economic
development through Agenda 2063.
The summit began with the 30th ordinary session of the Permanent Representatives
Committee, convened at the International Relations and Co-operation Department
offices yesterday.
Agenda 2063
The session was
co-chaired by South African International Relations Minister Maite
Nkoana-Mashabane. The meeting discussed the agenda prepared for the 25th AU
Summit, to be held later this week. It is expected that, leading to the Heads of
States summit which follows, discussions at this summit will focus on the imminent
adoption of the Agenda 2063 agreed by member states in 2013.
Agenda 2063 is a call for action and a road map to achieve continental development
goals. It represents a collective effort and an opportunity for Africa to regain its
power to determine its own destiny, and is underpinned by the AU vision to build an
integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, an Africa driven and managed by its
own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena.
African countries are committed to the regional economic integration which will
enable the free movement of goods, services, people and capital between national
markets, according to the
South African government. "This is fundamental to
achieving robust and equitable growth in Africa. The regional integration agenda
incorporates a range of objectives," it says.
It is about giving African producers access to regional markets and integrating them
into more productive regional value chains. It includes integrating financial markets,
to enable capital to flow more readily among national economies.
It includes promoting the free movement of labour for more efficient regional
labour markets and for improved access to skilled labour for specialist production.
These objectives are believed to be essential to achieving structural transformation
in African economies, boosting productivity per worker and therefore living
standards.
Observers have said Agenda 2063 should be seen as a new phase in efforts by
Africans to catalyse development of the continent and strengthen African integration
and unity.
The Heads of State and
Government meeting, to take place later this week, will
consider the report of the commission on the Ebola crisis, the report of the
ministerial retreat on the first ten-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 and
modalities for implementation of the alternative sources of financing the AU, the
report of the peace and security council on its activities and the state of peace and
security in Africa, and progress report of the commission on maternal, new born
and child health.
During the summit, visitors will be invited to on tours that will profile South Africa
as a country with a rich history of diverse cultures, a land of possibility and
opportunity, as well as a proud heritage that continues to shape South Africa's
journey to a thriving democracy. The goal is to show South Africa's competitive
strengths including its culture, heritage, archeology, science, technology and
innovation.
SAinfo reporter
The Nelson Mandela statue, near the Union Buildings in Pretoria. (Image: Prosthetic Head, Wikimedia Commons)
