The Chairperson with the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, during his welcome remarks on the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council today at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, noted that Africa should fight against corruption in order to realize its renaissance.
The chairman has also denounced the remarks made by US President Donald Trump regarding Africa and his decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Executive Secretary with the Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe, on her part said that corruption is being widely spread and eating away African economy as a “cancer” as a result the continent is losing $50 billion annually from illicit financial outflows.
It was noted that unless African combat corruption intensively, the AU Visions to accelerate progress towards an integrated, prosperous and inclusive Africa, at peace with itself, playing a dynamic role in the continental and global arena, effectively driven by an accountable, efficient and responsive Commission will not be reality.
The Executive Council expected to consider the draft agenda including the draft decisions and declarations of the Assembly with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place from 28-29 January 2018.
In addition, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs/External Relations and other ministers or authorities duly designated will convene to deliberate on the different items on their agenda including the consideration of the report of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC); the Annual report of the Chairperson of the Commission for the period January to December 2017and the report on the implementation of the Assembly Declaration including that on the Solemn Commitment on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM); the implementation Agenda 2063; the African Candidatures in the International System; the progress report on the International Criminal Court (ICC) are among others.
The election and appointment of the ten members of the Peace and Security Council; a member of the Advisory Board on Corruption; and election of two members of the Pan-African University Council are also scheduled to be entertained in the two days session.
The Ministers of the 55 African Union Member States based in Addis Ababa, as well as AU officials are attending the session.
The 30th Session of the African Union is being marked under the theme: “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.”