African Union Commission (AUC) President Jean Ping told PANA the leaders were likely to make a final decision on the formation of the Union Government after several debates on the issue, which was first raised at the first meeting that gave r ise to the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
"This is an ordinary Summit and a certain number of critical issues would be dealt with and concluded at this Summit. The issue of the Union Government will be dealt with. We want to deal with the subject during this Summit," Ping said.
African leaders have been discussing the formation of a Union Government of Africa for the past half a century. The founders of the Pan African debate set the ambitious goals of uniting the continent and sharing its wealth in a way that is beneficial to the continent's citizenry.
African eminent personalities like Prof. Wangari Maathai, the Nobel Peace Laureate, whose policy of preserving a green climate led to her recognition for the coveted prize, once told PANA the Union government was good for Africa's environmen t and could give more value to African products.
"We need to move away from the politics of fear and unite Africans for the common goals. This Union government would preserve Africa's forests and give African countries a voice to bargain for the value of their natural resources."
"We could stop the uncontrolled utilization of the forestry resources," she told PANA.
At least 20 African states have endorsed the creation of the Union Government of Africa. There are some eight African states which support the idea in principle but prefer a gradual movement.
Libya, the main state behind the Union Government, says any "gradualist" idea to wards the unity of Africa was too slow.
But the states, mostly Southern African region, which want the gradual formation of the Union Government, say neither the proposers nor the opposers of the idea would get what they want.
"We cannot get what we want and those for the idea cannot get what we want. Eventually, we would have to settle for something in the middle and it would not be very good for all sides," a Namibian diplomat, who spoke on conditions of anonymi t y, told PANA.
He said the AUC should be contented with the status the African states and the regional economic blocs had bestowed on it as the central authority on issues per taining to Africa and the coordination role the Commission currently plays on African affairs.
Speaking ahead of the Summit on Tuesday, Ping said the Commission was willing to move from mere words to action after several years of rhetoric.
"This is a very important three-day Summit, at least one day would be dedicated to the consideration of the Union Government. It is a Summit where the Commission would express its wish to move from words to action," Ping told journalists Tuesday.
Addis Ababa - 29/01/2009
Pana
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