AU to consider Sudan complaint against Eritrea
KHARTOUM, Jan 10 (AFP) — The African Union has promised to examine a complaint lodged by Khartoum against Eritrea’s alleged involvement in the conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region, the SUNA news agency reported Saturday.
Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir was informed of the decision by African Union official Alfa Omar Konare at a meeting in which he also praised peace deals recently signed by Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
Beshir assured Konare of his government’s determination to achieve a comprehensive, fair and lasting peace, SUNA said.
The Beshir-Konare meeting preceded the opening session of the eighth conference of the Organisation of Unity of the African Workers Trade Unions in which representatives of 50 African countries, including ministers, in addition to delegates from China, Cuba and France are taking part.
Most outstanding participants are Konare and former Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda.
“It is high time for the West in general to redeem the calamities it had incurred in Africa,” said Beshir in his opening speech at the conference with reference to the colonial era in Africa.
“The continent is now in need of assistance by those who benefitted from its resources in the past,” Beshir said, adding, however, that Africa “has to depend on itself.”
Beshir has called for enhancement of economic cooperation in Africa, and, ultimately, for the establishment of an African common market which he said would contribute to the development of all African nations.
Briefing the conferees on the progress of the current Sudan peace negotiations in Kenya, Beshir said a comprehensive agreement “will be signed soon.”
Also speaking at the opening session, Kaunda called on African governments, workers and civil society organisations to rally efforts for fighting AIDS in Africa.
“Collective efforts must be exerted for checking the spread of AIDS in Africa,” said the former leader, indicating the adverse economic and social effects of the disease on the African communities.
He called upon the African workers to defend the independence of their countries and to stand up to challenges posed by the global economic and political changes.
Kaunda praised what he termed a US initiative for helping in the economic development of Africa by offering “exceptional facilities that allow African commodities and products to enter the American market.”
He also commended an intention by the United States to write off its debts on African countries, underlining that those countries “seriously strive for unity and development and for improving the living standards of the peoples of the Continent.”