African Union summit opens in Ethiopia •Benin’s president, Thomas Yayi Boni, emerges new chairman

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Headlines Sunday, January 29th, 2012

A two-day summit of the African Union leaders opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday with the election of a new chairman for the pan-African organisation.

The election saw the president of Benin Republic, Mr Thomas Yayi Boni emerging chairman for the next year, as he took over from the president of Equatorial Guinea, Mr Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who graced the occassion was among the first speakers at the new AU headquarters.

The new AU headquarters was financed and built by China, an African trade partner.

Ban Ki-moon at the summit admonished the AU leaders that the 25 upcoming elections for presidents, legislatures and local races in Africa this year must be conducted in fairness.

He urged the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to resolve their differences over oil in the border area.

The UN chief also said Somalia is a fragile society that has the prospect of better years ahead.

The African Union leaders are expected to discuss Somalia’s conflict and review disputes between Sudan and South Sudan.

On Saturday, the African Union inaugurated its new headquarters, built and donated by China at a cost of $200 million.

The event was attended by China’s senior political adviser, Jia Qinglin, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and other African leaders.

Jia said the new AU complex is a testament to China’s friendship with the African people. He also praised China’s growing trade with African countries.

Prime Minister Meles praised what he called the African Renaissance, which he said was modeled on China’s state-led economic model. He also took the opportunity to criticize the Western economic model of the late 20th century as “medicine that turned out to be worse than the disease.”

-Tribunewp_posts