President Mills re-affirms commitment to African Union
From Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special
Correspondent, Sirte, Libya
Sirte, July 3, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills has
re-affirmed government's commitment to African unity and
would work with other African
leaders to realize the developmental aspirations of
Africans.Addressing the 13th
Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Head of
States of African Union at Sirte, Libya, President Mills
invited
African leaders to the centenary celebration of the birth of
Osagyefo
Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's First President in September.
About 52 African leaders are attending the
three-day summit that
would deliberate on investing in agriculture for economic
growth and
food security.
It would in addition, examine
strengthening the role of AU in the
prevention, management and resolution of election disputes
and violent conflicts in Africa.
Apart from exploring ways to prevent
unconstitutional changes of
government and strengthen the capacity of AU to deal with
such
situations, the summit is expected to focus on the
implementation of a
decision made during the Ethiopia Summit of AU in February
to
transform the AU Commission into a new AU Authority.
President Mills eulogised Dr Nkrumah as a
great believer in the
modernisation of Africa's agriculture.
"Ghana would be privileged if the African
Union, Dr Nkrumah
laboured day and night to realise will find a way to join
the
Government and people of Ghana in the celebration," he said.
President Mills expressed appreciation to African leaders
for
their role in the success and peaceful Election 2008,
describing it as
victory for Africa.
"The victory, is as much as Africa's as
Ghana's. And for this, we
wish to thank you. Once again for your support,
encouragement and
goodwill," President Mills said.
President Mills called for an overhaul of
agriculture and
adoption of more innovative approach to the management of
agriculture in African countries,
which required African leaders to take measures
to expand the continental market space to overcome
external market forces seeking to
strangle Africa's development efforts.
In another development, the European Union
(EU) has approved 175
million euros grant from the European Union Fund for
Development and
Humanitarian Aid to Ghana for her budgetary support for the
next six
years.
The grant would also be used for poverty
reduction under the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Mr Louis Michel, Commissioner for the fund
signed for the EU,
while Alhaji Mohammed Mummuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Regional
Integration and NEPAD signed for Ghana.
Other African countries to benefit from
similar assistance are
Mali, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Rwanda.
The grant is given to countries pursuing macro-economic
reforms
based on standards set by the EU and committed to democratic
governance.
GNA
