President Kufuor for AU Centre foundation stone ceremony

President John Agyekum Kufuor will arrive in Addis Ababa on Friday, May 25, to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony for the China-aided African Union (AU) conference centre.

AU spokesperson Habiba Mejri-Cheikh told the China news agency that President Kufuor, who is AU Chairman, would join other African heads of state, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, to lay the foundation stone for the conference center at the AU headquarters.

She said AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Omar Konare would also take part in the ceremony, which would form part of this year's Africa Day celebrations.

The Day would be observed as a public holiday in Ghana.

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in November last year, Chinese President Hu Jintao announced that China would build a conference centre for the AU to support African countries in their efforts to strengthen themselves through unity and support the process of African integration.

The cost of the conference centre is estimated at more than US$100 million and it would become China's largest aid project to Africa since 1978 when China started its reform and opening up policy.

Source: GNA