EXCELLENCIES, CO-CHAIRS OF THE SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING;

EXCELLENCIES, HEADS OF DELEGATIONS OF AFRICAN AND ARAB COUNTRIES;

DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES

EXCELLENCY COMMISSIONER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

INVITED GUESTS

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN;

ALL PROTOCOL OBSERVED

It is a singular honor and a great privilege for me to welcome you all to the Senior Officials Meeting of the 4th Africa-Arab Summit, on behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who has requested me to convey her warm greetings and best wishes to all of you. 

I would also wish to express my gratitude to H.E. President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Government and people of this great country for the warm welcome extended to the delegation of the African Union Commission and also for the excellent facilities put at the disposal of this meeting.

I recall with great appreciation that this beautiful city of Malabo hosted number of Africa’s partnership meetings in the past, and in all occasions, we were privileged to have been accorded with the maximum support and encouragement from the Government and people of this great country.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES

As you are aware, the main task of the Africa-Arab Senior Officials meeting today is to review the 4th Africa-Arab Summit documents, namely the draft Malabo Declaration, the draft Declaration on the situation in Palestine, the draft Resolutions of the Summit and the agenda and program of work of the Joint Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. These documents were also reviewed by the Coordination Committee of the Africa-Arab Partnership at the Senior Officials level.

As far as the Action Plan is concerned, as you are aware, the African Union has adopted Agenda 2063 in 2015 as Africa’s blue print towards economic and structural transformation during the next five decades and beyond. These agendas implementation plan offers a huge avenue of collaboration between our two regions.  It is in that perspective that we suggest that the Commission in partnership with the League of Arab States develop a compressive Action Plan that encapsulates both the priorities of Agenda 2063 and those of the Arab world for shared prosperity in the two regions.  This consensus Action Plan will be submitted for Ministers of the two regions for consideration and adoption, at an extra-ordinary meeting.

YOUR EXCELLENCIES;

The Theme chosen for our Summit “Together for Sustainable Development and Economic Cooperation;” is timely and appropriate in that it reminds us of the need to work together more than ever to achieve Agenda 2063 and Arab Action Plan on Sustainable Development.

In this direction, I wish to once again confirm the readiness of the African Union to fulfill its commitments and work together with the League of Arab States to fully implement the agreed upon joint programs and projects, in a balanced and integrated manner; and work towards eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions.

Excellencies we have a lot of work ahead of you today.  I therefore will not take up too much of your time.

With this few remarks, I wish this meeting a great success.