African leaders summit endorses proposed AU reform to boost efficiency

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

July 4, 2017 (ADDIS ABABA) -The 29th ordinary session of the African Union (AU) heads of states and government assembly concluded on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by endorsing a proposed reform on the pan-African body.

Heads of states and government representatives in attendance urged member states to pay a 0.2% levied on imports to fund the continental body’s budget.

The 0.2 % cuts on imports from member states intends to reduce the over financial dependency on foreign partners to fund the AU’s budget.

Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Mugabe on Monday donated $1 million he made after auctioning 300 herds of cattle he owns to kick start the AU initiative for self-funding.

Mugabe, 93, challenged African leaders, arguing that the 54-member continental bloc will be considered an African-owned organization if its fully financed by Africans.

Championed by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the new AU reform intends to realign and galvanize the continental bloc to boost its efficiency.

In his closing remarks today, AU chairman and Guinea’s President, Alpha Conde, urged African countries to comply with the new AU financing reform to ensure financial Autonomy of the union.

Per the agreed new AU reform, member states have also for the first time agreed today to allocate 1% of AU’s budget (around $ 7 million) goes to Africa’s youth empowerment.

To effect the self-financing plan, AU has tasked 10 African finance ministers to follow up the implementation process.

The AU summit also came up with agreements to ensure economic independence through generating job opportunities also to curb migration of African youths who make up around 70% of Africa’s total population.

The two-day AU leaders summit held behind closed doors focussed on hot issues mainly on AU reforms, youth empowerment, peace and security including on recent tensions between Eritrea and Djibouti.

With regard to peace and security, the AU called on African leaders to back peaceful solutions to internal political crisis in line with the AU plans to silence guns by 2020.

On Eritrea-Djibouti recent developments, the AU said a fact-finding mission sent to Djibouti has concluded its mission and is heading to Eritrea to execute similar mission which afterwards will present its reports to AU assembly.

(ST)