Addis Ababa, Feb 11 African foreign ministers on Wednesday called for a robust continental unity and togetherness amid eroding multilateralism and global cooperation. The call was made during the opening session of the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
"The evolving geopolitical landscape, in which multilateralism and global cooperation are being eroded, is adversely affecting peace and security in our continent," said Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gedion Timothewos, Xinhua News Agency reported.
He noted that "fierce competition" for technological supremacy, control of critical mineral resources, and major logistics routes are becoming a dominant feature of international relations, in which trade and economic cooperation are being subordinated to political and security considerations.
According to Timothewos, this existing global scenario is further exacerbated by peace and security challenges, as the continent grapples with incidents of unconstitutional changes of government, which is further undermining the AU's normative foundations.
"African unity must be real and the African Union must be strong if we are to defend our continent from predatory moves that might come from all corners," Timothewos said. "What we need is not mere charity or good will of others but true partnership and that more than anything requires true strength which emanates from unity."
Angolan Minister of External Relations and Chairperson of the Executive Council Tete Antonio highlighted the need to strengthen the institutional framework and operational capacity of the AU towards "building a more sustainable, united, and responsive AU capable of addressing the continent's priorities, in a spirit of shared responsibility and cooperation among member states."
The executive council meeting, attended by foreign ministers from AU members under the framework of the 39th AU Summit, is being held under the theme: "Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063."
The two-day meeting is expected to review the draft agenda and decisions for the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, scheduled for February 14-15.
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