Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Caesar Zvayi
1 July 2009
Harare — PRESIDENT Mugabe left Harare yesterday for Sirte, Libya, to attend the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, which begins today in the city that gave birth to the AU through the Sirte Declaration of 1999.
The President, who is accompanied by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa and several senior Government officials, was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Joice Mujuru, National State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Information, Media and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu and service chiefs. VP Mujuru will be Acting President during Cde Mugabe's absence.
The President will join other Heads of State and Government at the summit, whose theme, "Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security", bodes well for the development path Zimbabwe has taken by empowering previously marginalised indigenous farmers through the land reform programme since 2000.
Zimbabwe's experiences and lessons in this regard are expected to enrich deliberations at the summit, which is expected to draw ministers of agriculture and rural development, agricultural experts, specialists and organisations across the continent.
The summit is also expected to adopt Strategic Plan 2009-2012, which seeks to give the AU a global profile by channelling the continent's agreed policy positions on various issues through one voice.
Also on the agenda is the appointment of members of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the consideration of various proposals submitted by member-states, among them Libya's call for the establishment of an African Agency for the Protection of Territorial and Economic Waters of African Countries.
Analysts emphasise the need to find common ground on stemming rampant piracy along the Horn of Africa coastline amid concerns that the situation could have serious economic and security implications for the entire continent.
Expected to take centre stage, given the fragile peace and security situation in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry and Madagascar, is AU Commission chairperson Dr Jean Ping's report on the prevention of unconstitutional changes of government and strengthening the AU's capacity to deal with such eventualities.
Ousted Malagasy leader Marc Ravalomana arrived in Libya on Sunday for the summit.
The summit is also expected to receive a report from the Committee of 10 on proposed reforms to the United Nations Security Council.
A common African position on UN reforms was adopted in the Harare Declaration of June 4, 1997. Therein African leaders resolved that the Security Council should be increased from the current 15 to 26 members and that Africa should have no less than two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats in an expanded Security Council. These seats are to be occupied by member states on a rotational basis. This position was reaffirmed in the Ezulwini Consensus adopted in Swaziland in 2005.
The Union Government debate is also expected to emerge. African leaders agree on the need, and virtues of a Union Government, which they collectively describe "as a common and desirable goal." They, however, differ on the route to the Union and the structure it should take. Others, like Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, are agitating for a top-down approach, starting with the formation of a government and election of its leadership.
Yet others, like Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, are for a loose union of states that guarantees the sovereignty of each member state.
President Mugabe is of the view that the Union Government should be established through a bottom-up approach founded on the regional economic groupings such as Sadc, Comesa, Ecowas, the East African Community and the Central African Community.
This is the position shared by the majority.
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