AU lauds Ghana's election as African shared value

Delegates at the 12th Ordinary Session of African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, on Monday condemned the military coups in Guinea and Mauritania and lauded Ghana's democratic disposition as a laudable example for Africa.

They also spoke against the unsuccessful coup d'etat in Guinea Bissau, and called on all military regimes on the continent, to restore constitutional rule as soon as possible.

Mr Jean Ping, Chairman of AU Commission, who addressed the opening ceremony, said military interventions were signs of political retrogression and called on the AU to adopt measures to avert the extremist tendencies.

He congratulated Professor John Evans Atta Mills, President of Ghana and described his election as a shared value of the AU.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama is representing Ghana at the Assembly, which is on the theme: "Infrastructure Development in Africa."

Mr Ping spoke against the increasing spate of drug trafficking in Africa, which had the tendency to undermine peace and stability.

Touching on the crisis in Darfur, Mr Ping asked the International Court of Justice to reverse the decision to prosecute Sudanese Leader, Omar Al Bashir, since peace and stability in the area was paramount.

He asked the court to suspend the international warrant for his arrest for a year to facilitate efforts to end the crisis.

Mr Ping said in line with the theme for the meeting, African Development Bank had offered the AU 582,000 dollars grant for the development of infrastructure and energy on the continent.

The World Bank has also injected one billion dollars, to tackle the impending food crises on the continent.

He said unity of purpose was the means by which Africa could make progress.

Mr Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General, congratulated President Mills for his electoral victory and asked the AU not to support leaders who opt for coup d'etats on the continent.

He described the drug trafficking in West Africa, as a major problem and expressed the willingness of the UN to support ECOWAS, to check the dangerous phenomenon.

Touching on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mr Ban said the casualty rate among the people of Gaza was unacceptable.

Mr Ban said the UN would liaise with the regional leaders to bring lasting peace to the area.

He expressed condolences to the government and people of Kenya for the victims of the fire disaster that claimed more than 25 lives.

Mr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania and out-going Chairman of AU added up to the praises being showered on Ghana for the smooth transition of power.

He called on the leaders in Zimbabwe to weigh the national interest above all other considerations to end the stalemate over the power sharing deal.

President Kikwete said it was time for African leaders, to improve on economic integration to revert the gloomy picture about the continent.

He observed that 34 of the 50 poverty stricken countries in the world were from Africa while 21 out of the 36 countries facing food shortages were on the continent.