AU summit opens amid calls for peace and development on continent

The 22nd African Union summit opened in Ethiopia's capital on Thursday with rallying calls for the continent to enhance peace and transform its agriculture to eradicate poverty and quicken development on the continent. Speakers at the opening session underscored the importance of Africa to foster peace and take urgent measures to restore peace and stability in the conflict-ridden nations of South Sudan and the Central African Republic. "We need to find urgent solution to rescue these two sisterly countries from falling into the abyss," outgoing AU Chairperson and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn said. He said failure to address these conflicts would have serious repercussions for peace and security in the Great Lakes Region and the entire continent. Africa has in the past few years grappled with conflicts in member states like Libya, Egypt and Mali and more recently South Sudan and the Central African Republic. These conflicts have impacted negatively on Africa's quest to improve peace and security for unhindered development on the continent. AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazan Dhlamini-Zuma emphasized the need for Africa to find lasting solutions to conflicts in South Sudan and Central African Republic. We have to work together to ensure that we effect lasting peace and security in these countries, as part of our efforts to silence the guns on the continent," she said. As Africa pushes for comprehensive peace, the United Nations pledged at the summit its commitment to help the continent attain peace. "We deeply value the strategic partnership between the AU and the UN and are committed to finding ways on how the AU and UN can work together to promote peace in Africa," UN under-secretary general Jan Eliasson said. In particular, the current conflicts on the continent had presented a need for the UN to deepen its partnership with the AU Peace and Security Council, he said. While commending Africa's economic growth over the last few years, the UN official said it was not enough for Africa to be enjoying robust economic growth does not create jobs and improve living conditions of its people. He commended Africa's efforts to boost food security, saying the continent must continue to push for transformation of its agriculture potential into sustainable development. The continent, he said, needed to increase efforts in improving maternal health, one of the Millennium Development Goals still lagging behind in Africa. Guest of honor Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Salvador Lamothe commended the long-standing relations between his country and Africa, and pledged Haiti's support to Africa's peace efforts. "Geographical distance should not be used as a handicap to establishing strong links between Africa and Haiti. We want all people in Africa to live in peace," he said. In his address at the summit, newly elected Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina Rakotoarimanana hailed the AU for helping his country to emerge from a five-year political crisis. He appealed for international support to help reconstruction efforts in the Indian Ocean Island nation, saying he was proposing a donor's conference within the next three months to mobilize resources for reconstruction. Newly elected AU Chairperson and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz pledged during his acceptance speech to work for the preservation of peace and unity, consolidation of democracy, freedom, security and good governance for a better life on the continent.