Key takeaways from the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly
RegionWeek Newsletter Vol VII, Issue #236 | Monday, February 20, 2023
Dear Readers,
The 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly concluded on Sunday at the headquarters of the AU in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. African leaders, UN officials and leaders of various international organizations attended the two-day summit under the theme "The Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation."
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.
Addressing the opening session, Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat 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.
The President of the Republic of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye was appointed member of the Bureau of the African Union, as 3rd Vice-President, thus representing the Central Africa Region.
The Burundian President was designated Leader for the promotion of the “Youth, Peace and Security in Africa” program by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the AU. Indeed, the Conference took the decision relating to the annual holding of the continental dialogue of African youth in Bujumbura.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, President Ndayishimiye participated in the work of the Pan-African Forum Aflex, an opportunity to recalibrate Pan-Africanism based on the present to guide the future of the continent. A tree planting session was also planned.
Accompanied by the First Lady and as guest of honor, he participated in the first Public Assembly of young Africans organized on the sidelines of the Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Organized under the theme “Harnessing the demographic dividend to achieve Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA" He shared the experience of Burundi to promote youth entrepreneurship, key actors in the implementation of the AfCFTA.
Fruitful meetings
President Ndayishimiye took part in the meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, delivered by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He reaffirmed his commitment to the effective implementation of the Nairobi and Luanda processes for peace in the DRC.
On the same day in his position of current President of the East African Community, President Ndayishimiye co-chaired with his Angolan counterpart President João Lourenço, the Mini-Summit on Peace and Security in the Eastern Region of the DRC.
The President of Burundi met with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss the consolidation of peace and democracy in Burundi and reaffirmed his support for the development efforts led by the Government of Burundi.
Other personalities met include his counterpart President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud discussed the evolution of the security situation in #Somalia, he met World Bank's Vice-President for East Africa, and Mr. Antonio Vitorino, DG of IOM. They exchanged the Burundi-IOM cooperation framework, support for the supervision of the diaspora in the service of national development and support for the policy of villagization.
What they said during the summit
"Our session is being convened in an international context marked by worrying uncertainties, marked by geopolitical conflicts, fragmented economic governance and unforeseen consequences for Africa." MUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT, Chairperson of AU Commission
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, "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 the people of Africa did very little to cause, that is whipping up floods and deadly droughts, putting communities and lives at risk and displacing millions; and peace and security threats often involving interests and profits far beyond the continent's borders." - ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General
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.
In his acceptance speech, the Comorian president 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 believe in African solidarity, African agency and the equal dignity of all human beings." - ABIY AHMED, Ethiopian Prime Minister.
Thanks for reading,
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief, RegionWeek