Equatorial
Guinea’s minister
of foreign affairs and cooperation, Agapito Mba Mokuy,
led the 25th ordinary session of the Executive Council of the
African Union (AU).
During his welcoming speech, Minister Mba Mokuy said Equatorial
Guinea is committed to defending African interests. He pointed out the theme
chosen in this forum, “Agriculture and Food Security,” and made reference to
the great challenges faced by the continent.
“Africa has abundant areas of fertile and arable land, with
the highest proportion of young population and highest levels of human growth.
However, Africa cannot benefit from its potential because it suffers situations
of insecurity or lack of self-governance. This is a huge challenge in the
context of the commitments to our citizens, who wish to live in a continent
that is self-sufficient and able to provide and meet the basic needs of its
citizens,” concluded Minister Mba Mokuy.
The
minister of foreign affairs concluded his speech asking the
ordinary session of the Executive Council to include proposals to solve the
problems of peace, insecurity and terrorism, among others, which he said, “continue
to obstruct the economic development of the African continent.”
The Executive Council of the AU consists of ministers and
special authorities designated by the governments of the states that make up
the institution, and is the responsible body before the Assembly of Heads of
State and Government.
The chairperson of the AU Commission, Dlamini Zuma, joined
Minister Mba Mokuy at the opening session of the Executive Council of the
African Union, as did the executive secretary of the Economic Commission of
United Nations for Africa, Carlos Lopes, who is also deputy secretary general
of the United Nations; and the minister of foreign affairs and Cooperation of
the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Ahmed Ould Teguedi.
The presidents of Equatorial Guinea, Spain, Egypt and the
Palestinian State, the vice president of Cuba and the secretary general of
United Nations, among others, will participate in the opening of the session of
the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union Summit (AUS) taking place
in Malabo on June 26 - 27.
The Year of Agriculture and Food Security will be presented
by Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture on
June 26. The study of the budget for 2015, and a series of technical analyses,
including the Report of the Peace and Security Council, will take place on June
27. Other subjects to be discussed on the last day of the AUS are the Project
for the Establishment of the African Monetary Fund; the Draft AU Convention for
Transboundary Cooperation (Niamey Convention), and the study of the report of
the president of the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, regarding the
contributions to the African common position on the Post-2015 Development
Agenda.
