News Analysis: Historic Summit for Bright African Continent

African leaders are arriving here in file to attend the 37th summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), a historic gathering to determine the destiny of their 750 million followers in the least developed continent of the world.

Some 40 heads of state and government will upgrade the 53- member 38-year-old OAU to the African Union (AU), a more powerful political entity modeled on the European Union.

The three-day summit at the Mulungushi International Conference Center also attracted international dignities including U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers.

Beginning from July 2, OAU ambassadors and foreign ministers have, guided by OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim, been busy with preparing agenda and drafting pile of resolutions to be deliberated and adopted at the summit.

The main task of the summit is expected to kick off the one- year transition of the OAU to the AU.

On May 25, 1963, leaders of some 30 African countries, which just got relived from western colonial rule, founded the OAU in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.

This first continental political organization has been playing a key role in promoting unity among member states, eradicating colonialism and apartheid, and quenching bloody conflicts, setting up a milestone for liberation of the continent.

However, when the 21st century came, Africans found themselves lost in a worldwide tide characterized by political multi- polarization and economic globalization, fearing being marginalized.

Initiated by Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi in his hometown, Sirte, on September 9, 1999, African leaders decided at a summit to replace the OAU with the AU, hoping the latter will make full use of the potentials of the member states, large or small, rich or poor.

Since the Draft Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted at the 36th OAU summit in Lome, Togo last year, it has won ratification by 47 members, more than the legal two-third majority, clearly demonstrating Africans' desire to unite and develop together.

The AU covers a series of political organs including the Assembly, the Executive Council and the Pan African Parliament.

It will also establish a series of financial institutions including the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank.

As the final touch of the official launch of the AU is being done, an "African Initiative", a combination of the Millennium African Recovery Plan (MAP) initiated by leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria, and the Omega Plan by Senegal, has been prepared for adoption as a blueprint for a full-scale continental development.

Such a grand but detailed initiative commits Africans to shoulder the duty to revitalize Africa on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and demand the developed countries to grant their help by relieving debts.

On the agenda of the summit are also resolutions to deal with regional wars and conflicts, HIV/AIDS and other political, economic and social issues.

Observers noted that although many African countries have achieved progress through political and economic reforms over the past years, the continent still gets stuck with some 6 million refugees, a total of 350 billion U.S. dollars debts, and about 25 million HIV infectors in Sub-Sahara, accounting for 70 percent of the world's total.

Almost half of the 750 million Africans have a hard life below the poverty line. The continent holds 34 of the 49 Least Developed Countries in the world.

Like their fathers, Africa's nowaday leaders are determined to brave these challenges by every means, hence the official launch of the long-dreamed African Union, a historic event for African continent as well as for the whole world.






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