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African leaders express cautious
optimism about progress
Accra, July 3, GNA - African leaders attending the Accra
Summit emerged after some 13 hours of hectic deliberations
on the proposed pan-African Government on Monday night to
express cautious optimism about progress.
President John Agyekum Kufuor,
the African Union (AU) Chairman, said at a State Banquet
held for the leaders that they were almost halfway through.
That there is total endorsement of the idea of continental
Government is not in doubt, but the "devil" is in the
details.
"It has been a resourceful and tough debate. I am confident
that we will end up in a happy consensus," President Kufuor
added, drawing applause from the dignitaries present.
Veteran Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, re-echoed the
positive assessment made by President Kufuor saying, "We
started well and I do hope that we will end well to
reciprocate the start."
He said the leaders were in Accra with a serious intent to
address a grand question of consolidating the unity of
Africa through the creation of a continental Government.
"Getting us politically to work as a continental Government
is a grand plan and it is no co-incidence that this grand
debate is taking place in a grand country, with a grand
history and a grand founding father."
President Mugabe lauded the Government and people of Ghana
for the right environment provided for the debate and the
hospitality.
"We are all overwhelmed by it. We are proud to be here."
The Heads of State of Algeria, Libya, Kenya, Uganda,
Senegal, Gabon, Losotho and Nigeria presented their
positions on the debate on Monday.
The debate enters its second and final day on Tuesday.
GNA
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