PANA African Union Proclaimed Panafrican News Agency (Dakar) March 2, 2001 Posted to the web March 2, 2001 Paul Ejime Sirte, Libya The 5th extraordinary summit of the OAU ended Friday in the Libyan city of Sirte with the proclamation of the African Union, a launching pad for greater continental unity and integration. OAU Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim read the declaration, saying all the member states had signed the Constitutive Act of the Union, which was conceived in Sirte in September 1999 and adopted by the OAU July 2000 Summit in Lome, Togo. Salim said that following the signing of the Constitutive Act, the assembly of Heads of State and Government "proudly declared the African Union by a unanimous decision." He explained that the act would go into operation 30 days after all the members would have deposited their instruments of ratification with the OAU secretariat. At the last count some 32 of the 53 member-states countries had either ratified or informed the OAU of their ratification of the Act. With the return of Somalia, Morocco is the only African country whose sit remains empty in the OAU. After the proclamation the leader of the Libyan Revolution, Col. Moammar Kadhafi, host of the summit and great supporter of the Union idea, received an ovation from the summit. OAU current chairman, President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo described the proclamation as "a victory for Africa and a decisive step towards the realisation of the African Union." More than 40 heads of state and government as well as representatives of international organisations, including the United Nations attended the summit. **** Union Act Ratified By 31 States Panafrican News Agency (Dakar) March 2, 2001 Posted to the web March 2, 2001 Sidy Gaye, Sirte, Tripoli An ad hoc committee at the OAU extraordinary summit in Sirte, Libya was Friday morning expected to present a synopsis of differences hindering consensus on the terms for a proclamation of the African Union, after ratification by 31 states - barely six short of the required majority. Committee sources confirmed that "the only point discussed after the formal opening of the summit Thursday, was whether to go ahead and proclaim the Union, given the present number of ratification. "It was also a real stumbling block which could not be overcome, despite the extension of the discussions up to 1am local time," they said. "Libya and countries close to it felt the number of ratification was more than enough for a formal and immediate proclamation of the Union." That view was not shared by the Malian, Nigerian and South African leaders as well as some of their southern African counterparts. Two camps appear to stand out on the issue. The first contends that the number of countries (like Algeria) about to ratify the treaty this week, was significant. But opponents to that argument intimated that African governments can trumpet the concepts of State of law and good governance while at the same time setting the bad example of violating, from its birth, the basic UNION text they had freely adopted. Observers noted that in the highly political debate, the expertise and legal clarifications of the OAU secretariat was never expressly sought. The ad hoc committee, as well as consultations had stretched late Thursday night in expectation of fresh ratification that could facilitate a breakthroug **** Colonel Kadhafi Qualifies Sirte II a Historic Summit Panafrican News Agency (Dakar) March 2, 2001 Posted to the web March 2, 2001 Sirte, Libya The leader of the Libyan Revolution, Colonel Mouammar Kadhafi, has described the 5th OAU extraordinary summit on the African Union as a "historic turning point", not only at continental but also at the international level. "Today marks the crowning of the dozens of steps taken by Africa on the road to freedom and unity," the Libyan leader said at the opening of the summit in Libya's north-east coastal town of Sirte, Thursday. Colonel Kadhafi, speaking at the opening of the conference devoted to the institution of an African Union, recalled the various stages of the struggle for the emancipation of the peoples of the continent. He intimated that Africans, who has freed themselves completely from the colonial yoke, today have no more excuses to delay the realisation of their unity. Africa's salvation in an ever changing world lies in its unity, he stressed, warning Africans against a possible return of colonialism in other forms, if the continent remains divided and exposed to conflicts fomented by its enemies. The Leader of the Libyan Revolution, who argued for the compensation of damages suffered during the colonial period, indicated that present-day Europe is not the same as the one that "captured and sold Africans like animals". "Africans will no longer accept to be treated like animals and Africa has the right to take the place that is hers in the world", Colonel Mouammar Kadhafi said, noting that these objectives would be achieved only by and within the framework of the African Union. In reference to foreign military presence in some countries of the continent the Libyan leader reaffirmed Africa's refusal of any interference in its internal affairs. He recalled that the African Union project was unanimously adopted by African countries during the Sirte I Summit and in Lome in July 2000, adding that African countries which have not yet ratified the constituent act would do so soon. The delay observed in certain States is only due to procedural problems, he affirmed, before paying a glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the OAU. The leader of the Libyan Revolution further pointed out that the African political field is different from that of other countries, and recalled that after the creation of the OAU, each newly independent African State automatically adhered to the young organisation. In that regard, he said, the proclamation of the Union raises no problems today. **** Africa Opposes All Hostilities Against Libya Panafrican News Agency (Dakar) March 2, 2001 Posted to the web March 2, 2001 Sidy Gaye, Sirte, Libya African leaders wound up the fifth OAU extraordinay summit in Sirte on Friday with an unusual motion warning that they would not tolerate the continuation of hostile actions against Libya and its leader, Col. Moammar Kadhafi. "Any hostile actions against Col. Kadhafi's Libya will be considered as an affront to the aspirations of African peoples and their struggle for their development and defence of their dignity," the heads of state and government said. In the motion, read by OAU Secretary General salim Ahmed Salim, the African leaders paid "special hommage" to Col. Kadhafi, the guide of the Libyan Revolution, for his "vanguard role in the continent." They reiterated their confidence and "total support for his vision for African unity" as well as his "efforts for the restoration of peace, security and development on the continent." Delegates interviewed by PANA in Sirte Friday commended the motion saying that "Africa has clearly offered to shield Libya against ongoing threats arising from the Lockerbie affair." These delegates said that the motion was a compromise drawn from the dabate by various leaders on the Lockrrbie affair. The Sirte summit, which endorsed the initiative taken at the last conference of the SIN SAD, called for an end to the hardships of the Libyan people by completely lifting the unjust UN Security Council santions imposed against Libya. Meanwhile, the summit has decided to establish a comittee of eminent experts and lawyers to follow up and prop Libya's appeal against the sentence imposed against one Libyan citiens by the Scottish court in the Netherlands for his alleged role in the 1988 explosion of a Pan Am passenger plane. It also pledged to continue high-level political efforts for "the lifting of unjust United Nations santions" still weighing down against Libya. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
