Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Sirte (Agenzia Fides) - "Afro-Arab Cooperation: Towards a Strategic Partnership." This is the theme of the second Arab-African summit, which opened yesterday, October 10th, in Sirte, Libya, in the presence of 66 Heads of State and Government of Arab and African countries. Among these, the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al Bashir, whose warrant of arrest has been issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
The Summit has four objectives: increase cooperation for peace and security, enhance economic and financial relations, develop agriculture and achieve food security, expand socio-cultural relations among participating countries.
The Arab League and the African Union intend to form a strategic partnership through the adoption of a new Action Plan, replacing the former Action Program on Arab-African Cooperation adopted at the first Summit of the Arab League by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, later replaced by the African Union in 2001), held in Cairo on March 9, 1977.
Jean Ping, President of the African Union Commission, has appealed to Arab countries to help Africa to emerge from underdevelopment. "Arab sister States have vast reserves of savings, with significant financial resources and an enormous capacity for investment," Ping said in his speech opening the summit. "Africa is trying to emerge from the economic marginalization in which it is confined, doing so mainly through increased investment and intensification of trade." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/10/2010)
