Speech of
Dr. Mohammad Morsi
President of the Arab Republic of
Egypt
Before the Inaugural Sitting of
The 19t h Ordinary Session
Of the African Union's Summit
Addis Ababa (15 July, 2012)
Honorable Dr. Yayi Boni, President of Benin, President ofthe
African Union
Honorable Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, our dear
host,
Your Majesties and Excellencies, African Kings, Presidents and
Prime Ministers of our African sister countries,
Honorable Mr. Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union's
Commission,
Honorable Heads of Delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the beginning of my speech, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks
and deep gratitude for Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia
and the Ethiopian government and people for their warm welcome
and hospitality the Egyptian delegation were received with since we
arrived at this good land and for providing all support for the success
of our summit.
I also wish to express Egypt's appreciation for His Excellancy Dr.
Yayi Boni, President of Benin, for his wise leadership of our
organization and for his remarkable efforts for managing the African
Union's affairs during this year. I am confident that he is capable of a
successful management of the African Union's system, and I wish
him success in his presidency of the African Union during the coming
period.
Your Majesties and Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I was very keen on being with you today, and that my meetings with
my African leaders brothers be among my first foreign meetings and
that Africa's concerns and issues be among Egypt's highest priorities
and its democratically elected president.
Today, I talk to you on behalf of a great people with a glorious
history, a bright present and a promising future: the Egyptian people
who honored me by electing me President of Egypt after the
zs" of
January revolution. Our people appreciate the great support and the
sincere
interaction
of African
peoples
with their hopes
and
aspirations.
Honorable leaders, I came to you to deliver a message of love and
appreciation from millions of Egyptians who aspire for a prosperous
country in a world dominated by the values of justice, freedom,
fraternity and cooperation, and Africa enjoying stability, peace,
prosperity and progress. This message emphasizes that the
zs"
of
January revolution marks the beginning of a new period of Egypt's
rich history, and we hope that during this period Africa will regain its
naturally deserved position on Egypt's agenda.
We in Egypt, as you all know, have had a remarkable contribution to
the history of Africa and the whole world since the dawn of history.
We also have the the determination and will to collaborate with our
African brothers to make Africa's future and modern civilization based
on African culture, habits, traditions and values, being elements of
strength for fostering relations among African countries for the good
of all African peoples. As it used to be Africa's haven for liberation
and independence, Egypt is determined to remain an effective
supporter for African peoples for the realization of development and
progress.
Brother leaders,
·
,
While celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the
Organization of African Unity, and the 10th anniversary of th African
Union, we find Africa facing challenges not less enormous than those
of national liberation. Such are challenges of development and
progress, a battle the winning of which is no longer a luxury, but an
indispensable necessity for the realization of the hopes and
aspirations of our people. In fact, we are proud of the success made
by some African countries in withstanding the global economic crisis
and that the African Continent, despite such crises, managed to
make a growth rate of more than 7% in recent years. This is an
irrefutable proof that our continent abounds in resources and
potentialities that enable it to respond to all world developments.
Africa is a continent rich with its resources and peoples, and has
always generously contributed throughout world history to the
realization of world wealth and development. It is high time that Africa
should reap its fair share of the fruits of development. The financial
and economic crises suffered by the world order underscores the fact
that the actual criterion for growth is not the accumulation of capitals,
but rather man's development and protecting his rights to a decent
life. The need is so dire more than any time to adopt a new world
economic order that is more equitable and humanitarian.
I wish to assure you that Egypt is commited to promote trade,
investment and cooperation with it African brothers in all fields. Egypt
is also committed to boosting joint African work within the framework
of the African Union and collective efforts to establish an African free
trade zone between the COMESA, the SADC and East Africa. Egypt
will consecrate its capabilities to propel the vehicle of development in
Africa so as to reach new horizons and realize aspirations particularly
in the fields of food, health care, education and infrastructure.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Our summit discusses promoting intra-African trade on the basis of
the resolutions made in our last summit. Such resolutions drew the
roadmap for establishing an African free trade zone. Promoting intra­
African trade has become indispensable for realizing regional
economic integration in Africa vis-a-vis the challenges facing our
continent within the world economic system.
Completion of our serious efforts aimed at promoting intra-African
trade entails taking daring resolutions that remove the obstacles to
fulfilling such an objective. It is also necessary that our countries
develop their infrastructure, particularly that which pertains to trade in
the field of transportation, energy and information and communication
technology.
In this connection, Egypt, with its expertise, human resources,
investors and businessmen, is ready to build capacities and develop
infrastructure in all African countries. Indeed, Egyptian public and
private sectors have contributed to the realization of this goal. Many
Egyptian companies have built roads connecting African countries
and remarkably contributed to developing the ICT sector in the
continent. Being an active member of the NEPAD, Egypt is so keen
on sparing no effort to developing infrastructure in African countries,
particularly in the transportation sector. We hope that the Alexandria
- Cape Town road will come true as soon as possible as an evidance
of the efforts being made to overcome the obstacles and distances
between the countries of our continent.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Last year, our continent witnessed many positive developments,
including the uprisings in north Africa and the holding of successful
parliamentary and presidential elections in several African countries.
Many tangible steps were taken to promote democratization, good
governance and common African values.
While some African countries also witnessed the emergence of new
challenges last year, Such challenges pointed out our continent's
ability to deal with emergency crises and changes on the African
peace and security in the last few years. In this connection, Egypt is
honored by being a member of the African Peace and Security
Council in 2012 - 2014. for us, there is no objective more important
than, and no priority above, making peace and security in the African
continent, being a fundamental pillar to development and stability.
In this connection. We firmly believe in our ability to solve all political
and security problems in our continent and to bring about
rapprochement
in all
issues
of
common
concern,
including
establishing strong and healthy relations between north and south
Sudan, putting an end to the conflict in Somalia, regaining stability to
Mali and Guinea Bissau. In this context, we also look forward to
doing our best, within this summit, towards electing the chairperson
and member of the AU Commission on the basis of consensus
among all African countries. The urgent challenges facing our
continent makes it incumbent upon us to accelerate the process of
electing for our organization a Commission trusted by all African
countries and capable of playing its prescribed role wisely and
efficiently in the coming period.
Brothers and sisters,
If the road before us is still long, and the challenges are still getting
bigger, our collective will should be bigger and our determination
should be stronger, Insha Allah,we will manage to realize our goals
and aspirations for the good and welfare of our peoples.
Thank you Mr. President.