The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, condemned the military interventions in the political arena in the African continent, and expressed concern over what he described as the manipulation of constitutions and unconstitutional changes of governments.
Faki warned - during the opening of the semi-annual coordination meeting between the African Union and the regional economic groups, which was held via video link - about the presence of foreign mercenaries in Libya.
The Chairperson of the Commission stressed that the continued presence of foreign mercenaries in Libya constitutes a serious threat to it and its neighbourhood.
Faki explained that Africa suffers from security problems and "Boko Haram" attacks in the Lake Chad region.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission also said that security threats and terrorist attacks persist in different parts of the continent;
Like the Sahel and Libya.
He added that these challenges make accelerating the process of regional and continental integration in Africa all the more urgent.
Rejection of Israel's membership
The Executive Council of the African Union postponed, at its final meeting in Addis Ababa, on Friday, the decision of accepting or rejecting granting Israel the status of an observer member of the union to the next summit in February next year.
During hours of continuous debate on the draft resolution, several divergent views were put forward;
This prompted the session's presidency to suggest postponing the matter and referring it to the leaders of African countries at their next summit next year.
Several countries have called on the chairperson of the African Commission to retract Israel’s admission as an observer member (European-Archive)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra said that the debate that prevailed over granting observer status to Israel within the African Union highlighted what he described as the deep division among the member states of the union.
Lamamra added - in a statement - that many countries - including his country - opposed "the regrettable and dangerous decision of the Chairperson of the Commission, and defended the supreme interest of Africa, which is embodied in its unity and the unity of its peoples."
He pointed out that most of the foreign ministers of the Union agreed to postpone the decision on accepting or rejecting granting Israel the status of an observer member in the Union to the African summit scheduled to be held next February.
Unprecedented split
A diplomatic source revealed - to Al-Jazeera correspondent in Ethiopia - that the member states of the African Union are witnessing an unprecedented division against the background of the commission's acceptance of Israel as an observer member.
The source added that 25 African countries demanded the Chairperson of the Commission to reverse his decision.
According to the source, the side efforts to find a way out of this crisis have failed in light of the two sides' adherence to their positions.
On July 22, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs surprisingly announced that its ambassador to Ethiopia, Admasu Al-Ali, had submitted his credentials as an observer member to the African Union.
On the third of last August, 7 Arab countries informed the African Union of their objection to its decision to grant Israel observer status in the continental organization.
And the media reported that the embassies of Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Tunisia, Djibouti, Mauritania and Libya in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa (the headquarters of the Union) submitted a verbal note to the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki.
The memo stated objecting to the decision to accept Israel as an observer member of the union, stressing the rejection of this step in light of the union's support for the Palestinian cause.