From Africa
The chair of the African Union Commission (AUC) has called on leaders to tackle conflicts in the continent, and condemned a series of coups in some African countries.
Moussa Faki Mahamat made the call on the first day of the two-day AU summit.
Wars in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo were at the top of the African bloc’s agenda.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas, poverty, climate change and education and other key topics were discussed.
In his remarks to delegates at the summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Mr Faki , who heads the AU’s secretariat which manages the day-to-day activities of the bloc, said he was extremely worried about a litany of difficulties facing the region.
He said Sudan was bruised, torn, sinking into chaos from a war that has been raging since 2023, Libya was divided and exposed to foreign interference, and the Sahel region was facing a dangerous power vacuum.
He expressed concern over the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying the conflict in the east of the country was leading to a worsening of its eternal crises.
He said that Africa cannot remain arms folded and not work to promote genuine peace in the region.
Mr Faki also criticised unconstitutional changes of government following a string of coups in West Africa, and expressed concern that terrorism was destabilising some countries in the continent.
He said the rise in jihadist insurgencies was resulting in exorbitant military spending, at the expense of vital social sectors, while opening the way to misleading populist speeches.
Mr Faki also voiced concerns about the political crisis in Senegal, after the country’s President Macky Sall tried to postpone the election, due to be held this month, until December
Commenting on developments in the country, Mr Faki said that the situation in Senegal, a model country in terms of democracy, worries them to a great degree.
However, the AUC chair welcomed the Senegalese government’s decision to follow the Constitutional Council’s ruling, and said he hoped free and transparent” elections would be held there soon.
Ecowas is also expected to hold a meeting on the sidelines about Senegal’s decision to postpone presidential polls.
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