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AU Executive Council opens 30th session

Xinhua, January 26, 2017 Adjust font size:

Foreign Ministers of the African Union (AU) member states met Wednesday at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa for the 30th ordinary session of the AU Executive Council held under the framework of the 28th AU summit.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, reiterated in her opening remarks the need to effectively work on Africa's integration and development agendas.

Dlamini-Zuma expressed the need to work on the free movement of people, saying that "it will unlock opportunities for intra-African trade, studies, business and tourism."

The chairperson also expressed concerns on the tumultuous political changes and instability that the global community is experiencing, indicating that "citizens' confidence in political systems are at an all-time low."

The meeting of the Executive Council brings together the AUC Chairperson and Commissioners, foreign ministers of member states, Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), and heads of AU organs.

Abdalla Hamdok, Acting Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), also noted that the continent needs to look inward for opportunities to boost trade, develop regional value chains and drive structural transformation.

Hamdok also vowed to work with the African Union and its member states in addressing challenges that the continent is facing.

The 28th Session of the AU heads of states, preceded by the session of the Executive Council, has been scheduled to take place from Jan. 30 to 31. The 2017 the AU Summit is held under the theme "Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investment in the Youth." Enditem