Pledge to implement flagship projects as AU summit ends

Takunda Maodza recently in South Africa
THE African Union 25th Ordinary Session ended in South Africa on Monday with Heads of State and Government pledging to implement flagship projects to spur economic growth in Africa including the Continental Free Trade Area, a High Speed Train, the African Centre for Disease Control and creation of a Pan African University.

President Robert Mugabe, who returned home early yesterday after a gruelling work schedule, chaired the summit, held at the Sandton International Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The AU chair described the summit as fruitful and memorable in his closing remarks.

“In pursuit of the objectives of our theme for this year, “Year of Women Empowerment and Development Towards Agenda 2063”, and cognisant of the importance and centrality of women in the socio-economic development of Africa, we’ve re-affirmed the need to fast track gender parity and women empowerment in all socio-economic and political endeavours,” said President Mugabe.

“We resolved and committed ourselves to abolish all ills based on cultural and religious practices, including early child marriages and gender-based violence.”

Pursuant to the landmark decision of Heads of State and Government of the June 2014 summit held in Equatorial Guinea, the summit took the first step to implement measures to allow more interactive and results-oriented exchanges.

“The Heads of State and Government here present have collectively adopted and fully endorsed the first Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063. We’ve committed ourselves to commence the implementation of the flagship projects to spur economic growth and prosperity in Africa

“These include enabling game changing projects among which are the Continental Free Trade Area, the High Speed Train, the African Centre for Disease Control and the Pan African University,” said President Mugabe.

He revealed that the launch of the Continental Free Trade Area negotiations had received the full support and blessing of the summit.

“We resolved to expedite the positive conclusion of the negotiations to establish the Continental Free Trade architecture which would speed up intra-African trade and commercial exchanges, thus contributing to continental economic integration and development,” said President Mugabe.

The summit also discussed hot spots on the continent.

“We resolved to continue pressing for dialogue where there are intra-state conflicts. In the same vein, we strongly condemned acts of terrorism being perpetrated by militant extremists in several parts of Africa,” said President Mugabe.

The leaders agreed to confront terrorism collectively in order to rid Africa of the menace.

A minute of silence was observed during the summit following the killing on Monday of 23 people in the Chadian capital of N’djamena by suspected Boko Haram militants.