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Arguments on Union Government not
rated above other issues
Accra, July 2, Ghanadot/GNA – Ghana’s Foreign Minister on
Monday has described as “strange and rather infantile”
arguments that the issue of a Union Government was being
rated above other the political issues affecting the
continent such as Darfur.
“At the beginning of every day there is only one thing
someone can do at a time. But we all end up doing many
things at the same time sometime,” Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the on-going
African Union Summit, he said there were urgent issues, but
in finding and clarifying them, it was very important to
have a secure future of the continent.
He was responding to questions that leaders on the continent
preferred the union government idea above pertinent issues
such as Darfur and Somalia and other parts of the continent.
“Yes, there are urgent issues of significant importance like
Darfur, but all is towards finding a better way of
organising our affairs which is bound to have an impact on
some crises like the conflict in Darfur and Somalia.
“We have reached a certain understanding on national and
continental level on what is going on. Great attention is
being given to the matter and therefore we should not be put
in the either or situation. That, with the greatest respect,
is rather infantile and is part of the double standards
where Africans are always considered differently.”
Asked why the seeming shift towards the Union Government
idea, Nana Akufo-Addo said the fact that Africa was
considered poor, did not mean that we should not go ahead
with this agenda.
“There are parts of Europe where I have seen poverty just
like anywhere on this continent. But that does not stop them
from sometimes holding all-night sessions in Brussels to
call something a treaty or a non-treaty. It does not stop
you from making arrangement for integration.”
On arguments that the Sudanese President was not at the AU
meeting, Nana Akufo-Addo said he did not really have to be
here.
“He may be sorting something at home. What we need to do is
to improve the quality of our governments, deal with
critical issues such as Darfur, Somalia, create a stronger
African Union and resolve fundamental issues. We will then
be in a better position to deal with the matter.”
He expressed optimism of an African President sooner than
later.
GNA
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