33rd African Union summit dominated by armed conflict

Text by: RFI Follow

Sunday and Monday is held, in Addis Ababa, the 33rd summit of the African Union. But as of this Thursday, February 6, the foreign ministers of the 55 member countries of the continental organization are meeting to clear the ground.

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With our special correspondents in Addis Ababa , Carine Frenk and Christophe Boisbouvier

More than others, it is a summit which will be dominated by armed conflicts: Libya, the Sahel or South Sudan. Beyond the hot spots, the African Union has chosen a theme that may seem a bit utopian: " silencing the weapons creates conditions conducive to the development of Africa ".

But a theme that has the merit of putting a spotlight on a crucial issue. The Peace and Security Council is working on the funding of Peace Support Operations but the project seems somewhat in "stand-by", recognizes a West African diplomat.

Another important issue: the gradual implementation of the Continental Free Trade Zone (Zlec) , launched last July in Niamey and which gives rise to intense negotiations.

Also on the agenda: the reform of the organization itself in order to make it more efficient, less budget-consuming. An ambitious project that seems to have been put on hold in 2019

This summit will also be an opportunity for the current president, the Egyptian Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, to pass the baton to his successor, the South African Cyril Ramaphosa who will preside over the destinies of the AU for this year 2020.

Libya crucial issue for the AU

This summit, which falls just after the meetings in Berlin and Brazzaville - is an opportunity for African heads of state to make the continent's voice heard on Libya's explosive dossier. Because since the insurrection against Colonel Gaddafi, 9 years ago, Africa has only been a spectator in the Libyan crisis. And last year, the passage of the Egyptian at the head of the AU did not help.

Cairo being the ally of one of the two belligerents, Marshal Haftar, the Egyptian head of state has no legitimacy to play the referees. But this year, the African Union has two good reasons to make its voice heard more clearly on the Libyan issue.

First, the new president of the African Union, Cyril Ramaphosa is respected by the two enemy Libyan brothers. Then, the new Algerian head of state, Abdelmajid Tebboune, wants to do away with the wait-and-see policy of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Last week in Brazzaville , Algeria announced that it would soon be hosting a National Reconciliation Forum between Libyans. If now Pretoria and Algiers push in the same direction, Africa will undoubtedly be stronger.

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• African Union
• Libya

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