Presidents Kufuor off to attend AU Summit

Accra, July 3, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra on Sunday for Sirete, Libya to attend the Fifth Ordinary Session of Heads of State of the African Union (AU) due to open on Monday, July 4. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, the Foreign Minister is already in that country attending the ministerial conference, which precedes the Summit.

In a brief pre-departure interview with journalists, Mr Kwabena Agyapong, Press Secretary, who is accompanying the President, said the Summit would review the report of the African Union's Peace and Security Council on the conflict situation on the continent. He said the Heads of State would adopt a common agenda on debt cancellation, which would be all inclusive without conditionality and discriminations.

Mr Agyepong said the Summit would also review the report on United Nation's Security Council and the call for an African seat on the Council. Other issues to be discussed would border on economic development of the continent, social-political issues and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The President and his entourage would live for Scotland, to attend the G8 Summit.

Mr Agyapong said Africa representatives at the G8 Summit would appeal to the industrialised countries to abolish trade barriers as well as to ensure total debt cancellation of poor nations. They would also appeal to the developed countries to make do of their promise to devote 0.7 percent of their GDP to support developing countries.

At the airport to see the President off were, the Vice President Aliu Mahama, the Dean of Diplomatic Corp Mr Ibrahim Omar, Chief of Defence Staff Major General J. B Danquah, and the Inspector General of Police Mr Patrick Acheampong.