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Monday, July 12, 1999
President Abdel-Aziz Boutafeliqa, Dear brothers, Leaders and Heads of State and Government of Africa, The Secretary General of the Organization of African Untiy, The Secretary General of the United Nations, The Secretary General of the Arab League, Its my pleasure at the outset to give special greetings to the people and President of the sisterly Republic of Algeria, expressing my deep sense of pride in our meeting on the soil of this genuine Arab African nation that has posed as an example to be followed in the struggle for freedom and independence and a pioneering defender of Africa's causes and interests. I would like also to congratulate my brother President Boutafeliqa for the precious confidence accorded him by his countrymen, in recognition of his wise leadership at this important juncture of their nation's history. I also congratulate him for his chairmanship of our organization and reaffirm our full support to his efforts to push forward Africa's progress towards a brighter and more prosperous future for all countries and peoples of the continent on the eve of the 21St Century. I seize this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Presdient Blaise Compaore of the sisterly Republic of Burkina Faso who has chaired the Organization at a crucial stage where Africa had been passing through highly difficult circumstances, sparing no efforts in seriously addressing challenges facing our continent regionally and internationally as well as problems posing threats to security and stability in a number of regions in the continent. I would like also to pay tribute to Dr. Salem Ahmed Salem, Secretary General of the Organization who we do appreciate his perseverent efforts to improve the performance of the Gerneral Secretariat so as to undertake with due efficiency its assigned responsibilities, particularly with regard to efforts exerted towards achieving peaceful settlement for existing disputes and realising the goal of setting up an African economic community. In this regard, I once more affirm that our ongoing support of the Organisation's activities in political, economic, social and cultural fields runs in parallel with our interest in restructuring and activating the role of the Secretariat and provide capabilities necessary for it to perform its missions in the aspired manner. Brethren Presidents, Our meeting today comes at a highly significant time where the world is undergoing radical transformations in various security, political, economic, and scientific aspects. In as much as they allow opportunities for progress and growth, these transformations impose tremendous obligations and challenges on our peoples and on many of the worlds countries. This stage requires us, more than ever, to join forces, stimulate our energy and reassert our determination for boosting co-ordination and solidarity to upgrade our collective capabilities. I believe we all agree that the problems jeopardizing security and stability in all parts of the continent drain off much of our energy and resources and overshadow our Organization. Internal and regional conflicts in some parts of Africa are far below our people's aspirations and ambitions that require us to focus on reconstruction, set up bridges of understanding and cooperation, rather than deepen rifts and clashes. In the African Horn, there is increasing concern over the escalation of the dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the two countries with the closest brotherly relations. This requires us to redouble our efforts to implement the peaceful settlement provided for in the framework agreement accepted by both parties so as to enhance security and stability in the region and consolidate our joint work to realize development and prosperity to all the region peoples. In this context, we are keen to push forward the comprehensive national reconciliation in Somalia and we reaffirm our commitment to its territorial integrity and unity. In concert with other efforts, we will continue to support the Somali people in their drive to re-build its unified homeland. Based on the same principles, Egypt supports endeavours aiming at putting an end to fighting in the Democratic Congo, as an essential step to establish peace and national unity in this sisterly country, within a framework that maintains its full sovereignty on its territory without any external intervention and guarantees security for all countries of the lakes regions and strengthen relations of good neighbourliness. From my place here, I must not miss the chance of expressing my concern over the resumption of fighting in Angola and the need for us all to continue our support of its legitimate government in the face of rebel forces that reneged on their obligations and abandoned the peace option. In other regions of the continent, our African peoples face some forms of conflicts and suffering that require concerted efforts and joint action to overcome these ordeals, thus paving the way to more secure and stable life. Dear Friends, There is no doubt that challenges related to achieving economic and social development in all our countries are equally of concern to us especially in the light of the changes resulting from globalization, reliance of the new economic world order on market forces, the increasing trend towards libralizing trade and capital flows in addition to the tremendous advancement of science, technology, information and communication. While these factors allow our developing countries to capitalize on their own merits, either by maximizing export and investment opportunities together within an expanded market or acquiring modern technology, globalization has its own negative effects including high volatility of capital markets similar to what happened in the friendly Asian countries. In recognition of the nature of this stage and requirements for sound economic development, it was essential for us to implement economic reform and restructuring programmes, taking into account our existing social conditions, within a framework of seriousness and commitment. This has contributed to achieving a noticeable improvement in growth rates, curbing inflation and building an economy capable of interacting with the world around us. In spite of all these efforts and programmes set for pushing forward African economic integration and cooperation since our meeting in the framework of the First Economic African Summit in Nigeria in 1981, our continent is still suffering from low living standards, poor health and social care, problems of drought and desertification ; in addition to increasing foreign debts burdens, dwindling competitiveness and ability to attract investments besides declining development aids. This situation faced by Africa is aggravated by the fact that these factors have been concomitant with the escalation of armed conflicts in certain regions resulting in draining off resources and wasting away economic and human capabilities. Dear Presidents, To address these considerations, requires on our part a piercing conscious vision on which our movement in the coming stage will be based, taking into consideration past experiences throughout the recent decades. This vision allows us to address deficiencies and face challenges to Africa in such a manner that makes it more capable to share in the ongoing transformations for building a new world. Thus, Africa can be an effective player in shaping this world in a bid to maintain the continent's interest and reinforce the hopes of its peoples for a better future. In my viewpoint, such vision can be based on the following elements: First: Stressing our collective commitment to reinforce our Organization, rationalize and invigorate its role, so as to really serve as the most comprehensive umbrella of the African action in all fields. Second: Adhering to the principles of the OAU and its resolutions. Experiences has proved that violating such principles would threaten Africa's security and stability. On top of these principles are the sanctity of borders and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and non-intervention in their internal affairs. Third: Adopting peaceful means in settling disputes and rejecting the policies of aggression and the use of force in solving conflicts. This requires the reactivation of the OAU Mechanism for the Prevention and Settlement of Conflicts, pursuing increasing coordination and cooperation between this and other existing OAU mechanisms, on the level of sub-regional African groupings or the United Nations . Fourth: Considering the revival of the committee on mediation, conciliation and arbitration stipulated in the OAU Charter, that may provide a permanent and efficient framework of action to contain and resolve conflicts. Fifth: Enhance our joint action in the face of crossborder crimes that threaten all societies, particularly organized crimes, including the trafficking of drugs and weapons and the phenomenon of violence and terrorism. Here I have to pay tribute to the important achievement made by the African Ministerial Conference held in Algiers last month, namely, the formulation of the African Convention on Preventing and Combating Terrorism, and the adoption of an Egyptian initiative for convening a conference for laying down an overall strategy for confronting and eliminating terrorism. Sixth: Enhancing African progress in the field of democratic practice, in line with the present conditions and stage of development of our societies, with emphasis on respect for human rights. Related to this is the African citizen's right to development, health care and education, and the realization of a minimum standard of decent living for African peoples. Seventh: Promoting joint action in the field of economic cooperation and integration, removing hurdles to African inter-trade, linking all parts of Africa with telecommunication and transport networks, developing the basic infrastructure required for achieving such integration, and reinforcing regional institutions that can be beneficial in this field. Eighth: Paying attention to science, upgrading educational systems, assimilating modern technology, building up human capabilities and interacting with all cultures within the framework of communication and understanding, while maintaining our African identity and specific idiosyncrasies of our societies. Ninth: Enhancing dialogue and cooperation with friendly countries, our partners in development and existing groupings on the international arena based on joint interests and mutual respect. In this regard, I would like to reaffirm our interest in upgrading Afro-Arab cooperation especially on both economic and cultural fields so as to rise up to the level of close political relations which have always tied Africa with the Arab world constantly. Tenth: Keenness to uphold the unity of African stances in order to protect the continent's interests within the context of international multilateral negotiations on all fields including the issues connected with peace and security on both regional and international levels, dismantling mass destruction weapons in general and nuclear weapons in particular, reforming and expanding membership of the Security Council. These also include issues related to liberalizing trade, reducing debts burdens, providing necessary resources for the development process and environmental protection. As I am putting forward these ideas before you, I am quite sure we can together correct the path and remedy deficiencies, face all challenges, honour our responsibilities to the people of the continent that look forward to a better future where security, peace and welfare will prevail. Dear brothers and Friends, Our glorious continent has faced ferocious challenges in bygone eras, and have managed vigorously and efficiently to surmount them in spite of difficult circumstances. It has managed to do so thanks to strong determination, unified ranks and wide leadership of the early leaders and founders and their successors who followed their track. Today, as we face new challenges at a time where we stand at crossroads with the world, we are confident of our own ability to address such challenges with all weapons necessary for such confrontation. We do look forward to the future with much hope and trust, tomorrow the sun rises and new flowers will blossom in various parts of Africa. An end is sure to come for the existing conflicts in Africa, that respresent the last remains of the colonialist decade which resulted in disintegrating our unity and dissipating our endeavours. The decision is ours and so is our say, future is our responsibility and solidarity is our goal. May God guide our progress. |
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