Uprisings in North Africa top 17th AU Summit Agenda
1 Jul 2011 19:41 Africa/Lagos 17th AU Summit / Opening of AU summit hears of need to heed lessons from North Africa MALABO, July 1, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The African Union Commission Chairperson Dr Jean Ping today said the popular uprisings in North Africa should be seen as an opportunity for AU member states to renew their commitment to the AU agenda for democracy and governance and to implement socio economic reforms that are demanded by their people. Furthermore, the Commission underscored the importance of achieving peace, saying there could be no development otherwise. Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the 17th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Malabo, Dr Ping delivered an impassioned and powerful speech in which he exhorted Africa to speak with one voice in resolving conflicts such as the one in Libya. He stressed that it is the Libyans themselves who should take ownership of the democratic change. The Chairperson commended th...