Highlights: African Union: AU summit opens with worrying observation of “collapse” of institutions. Around thirty presidents and heads of government are expected this weekend in the Ethiopian capital. Moussa Faki Mahamat painted a worrying picture of the situation in Africa, affected by several conflicts and coups d'état. Comorian diplomacy, whose country held the presidency of the AU this last year, is less virulent, but shares the same fears about ECOWAS. The political transitions in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso seem to be bogged down and the withdrawal of these three countries from the regional bloc is not likely to favor a rapid return to institutional normalization.

The African Union summit opened yesterday, Wednesday February 14, in Addis Ababa. Around thirty presidents and heads of government are expected this weekend in the Ethiopian capital...

African Union: AU summit opens with worrying observation of “collapse” of institutions

The African Union summit opened yesterday, Wednesday February 14, in Addis Ababa. Around thirty presidents and heads of government are expected this weekend in the Ethiopian capital for the organization's 37th Conference of Heads of State. On Wednesday morning, the AU Executive Council, made up of foreign ministers, opened the summit. Particularly with Moussa Faki Mahamat’s speech. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission painted a worrying picture of the situation in Africa, affected by several conflicts and coups d'état.

Headquarters of the African Union, Addis Ababa, where the 37th conference of heads of state of the regional organization opened on Wednesday February 14, 2024. © EDUARDO SOTERAS / AFP

By: RFI Follow

with our special correspondent in Addis Ababa,

Sidy Yansané

“

Serious tensions in Ukraine

”, “

A war of extermination

” in Gaza,

Moussa Faki Mahamat

does not mince his words when speaking of a world delivered, he says, to “

blind violence

”. The Chairperson of the

Commission does not spare Africa, affected by an accumulation of conflicts and coups d'état which, according to him, seriously compromise the future of African regional institutions:

“

There is another new phenomenon of weakening of our regional and continental governance institutions, [which are] worried about the fate of the continental organization, since the regional economic communities are its pillars. For how long will the building resist the collapse of its pillars and its foundations?

Read alsoMauritania officially candidate for the presidency of the African Union

Comorian diplomacy, whose country held the presidency of the AU this last year, is less virulent, but shares the same fears about ECOWAS.

“

The political transitions in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso seem to be bogged down and the withdrawal of these three countries from the regional bloc is not likely to favor a rapid return to institutional normalization,”

regrets Dhoihir Dhoulkamal, Comorian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

It is up to ECOWAS to begin frank and sincere discussions with these three member states to emerge quickly, and on top, from this situation which is damaging to both parties.

The Comorian diplomat deplores “

an epidemic of unconstitutional changes

” without ever naming a country, like Senegal, whose current crisis was not addressed this first day.

Read alsoSenegal: between the presidency and Ousmane Sonko, a dialogue now seems possible

African Union: AU summit opens with worrying observation of “collapse” of institutions

African Union: AU summit opens with worrying observation of “collapse” of institutions

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