African leaders ends extraordinary summit after agreement on common defense

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, February 29, 2004

African leaders ends extraordinary summit after agreement on common defense

More than 40 heads of state and government of African countries ended their extraordinary summit here Saturday after they reached an agreement on common defense.

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More than 40 heads of state and government of African countries ended their extraordinary summit here Saturday after they reached an agreement on common defense.

Under the agreement, the African Union (AU) is to set up a standby force responsible for peacekeeping, humanitarian activities and military intervention in a member state.

"The framework we have just signed includes the necessity to find collective answers to threats, whether internal or external,'' said Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano at the closing ceremony of the two-day AU summit.

"But our efforts are not over. ... We have to show a real commitment to the implementation of our decisions,'' added Chissano, who is also the chairman of the AU.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has pledged 250 million euros (about 310 million US dollars) for the creation of an African rapid reaction force for peacekeeping missions.

With fragile peace efforts in the continent's many trouble spots, there is international pressure on the Ethiopia-based AU to take an active lead in peacekeeping.

African defense ministers who met this week in Sirte before this AU summit to prepare for the extraordinary summit finalized a document on African Common Defense and Security policy and Non-Aggression which heads of state and government are expected to adopt with minor changes.

African leaders last year approved in principal a proposal to establish a multi-national peacekeeping force on the continent by 2010, although questions over funding and logistics have delayed implementation.

The proposed African Standby Force was to begin with the deployment of some 15,000 AU troops at five regional bases by 2005,expanding to a continental force by 2010.

During the meeting, Libya had proposed the creation of a single African army to defend the continent and the delegates of the summit have agreed to study it.

The issues of water and agriculture have also been discussed during the summit.

The AU, which takes after the EU, replaced the 39-year-old Organization of African Unity in 2002.

Source: Xinhua

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