Malabo, Equatorial Guinea - The 17th Summit of the African Heads of State and Government, just ended in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, has adopted one theme per year for its Summits, according to decisions reached by the Assembly. African leaders, endorsing the recommendation of the Executive Council regarding the necessity to henceforth have one theme per year, confirmed that the theme for their 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, scheduled for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will be “Boosting Intra-African Trade”. The theme will be for the whole year of 2012, including for the celebrations of Africa Day on 25 May, 2012.

The Assembly decided that the dates of the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly shall be as follows:-

Twenty-third Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee: 23, 24 January, 2012.

Twentieth Ordinary Session of the Executive Council: 26, 27 January, 2012;

18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly: 29, 30 January, 2012.

On the Activities of the AU Peace and Security Council and the State of Peace and Security in Africa, the Assembly commended the efforts of both the Commission and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), to finalize the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture, and underscored the need to accelerate this process.

It commended the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for its efforts to facilitate the return to constitutional order in Madagascar on the basis of its 'Roadmap for a way out of the crisis in Madagascar,' as endorsed by the SADC Extraordinary Summit held in Sandton, South Africa, on 11 and 12 June, 2011.

On the Implementation of the Roadmap and Global African Diaspora process, the Assembly recognised the Progress Report on the Roadmap and the preparations for the Global African Diaspora summit as well as the efforts and progress made by South Africa and the Commission to ensure the implementation of the Roadmap.

It also requested them to continue their collaboration to ensure the successful planning and conduct of the Diaspora Summit, saying that such efforts should include the continuation of regional consultative conferences, the revitalization of Diaspora Regional Networks in the various regions of the world where the African Diaspora population lives and feasibility studies on bankable projects.

The Assembly decided that the outcome of the Technical Committee Meeting on the Diaspora be submitted for consideration to a Diaspora Ministerial Conference to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, US, in September 2011 in preparation for the Global Diaspora Summit.

While reaffirming the decision that the Diaspora issue remains a standing agenda for Summit meetings, the Assembly decided to convene the Global Diaspora Summit in 25 May, 2012.

It called upon Member States, AU Partners and the Diaspora communities worldwide to support the agenda and facilitate the implementation of the Roadmap and the Global Diaspora Summit.

Pana 04/07/2011