Prodi addresses African Union summit in Sirte

EU Commission President Romano Prodi was the guest speaker last Friday on the first day of the Summit of the African Union which ended yesterday in Sirte, a coastal town in Libya, some 450 kilometres to the east of Tripoli.

African leaders and presidents met in the town's majestic congress hall to study the prospects of economic and social development as well as joint defence.

Taking the floor shortly after Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi addressed the large gathering, Prodi said that the venue of the summit was meaningful as one of the foundation stones for the African Union was laid in Libya in September 1999 with the Sirte Declaration establishing an African Union.

"Libya and its leader have been instrumental in achieving such results. This summit is a key element to consolidate the African Union."

The Commission President said that Libya has recently taken very bold steps and was on the world's stage. The EU through the Barcelona Process will strenghten its relationship with Libya and the EU would use its relationship with Libya to reach Africa.

Prodi added that he was convinced that parternship between the EU and Libya will bolster EU-Africa relationship.

Prodi commended the comprehensive continental framework the Afircan Union leaders adopted for the summit and told them that the EU was their partner. The EU Commission President said that the EU has a long history of co-operation with Africa and its support is needed.

The summit aimed at the adoption and urgent implementation of proactive mechanisms and facilities to bring about accelerated development of the agriculture and water sectors. These are regarded as engines of social and economic development in the African continent. The summit dealt with the implementation of intra-regional partnership intiatives in agriculture and water resources sectors which can reduce poverty and raise food self-sufficiency.

Prodi ended his address saying that Africa was and would continue to be a priority for the EU.

Prior to the summit, African ministers of water and agriculture and African ministers of defence met in Tripoli last Monday in preparation for the summit. Various reports on joint defence policies in Africa and various mechanisms for their implementation were studied in detail. The defence ministers indicated that an African charter for non-aggression was being prepared and a joint defence pact was being considered.