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Latest update: 03/02/2009
- African Union - Libya - Muammar Gaddafi
Libyan leader Gaddafi elected chairman of African Union
Libyan chief Muammar Gaddafi will head the African Union for the next year after being elected on Monday. He has promised to push ahead with the idea of a United States of Africa, resembling the American model.
Freshly elected to head the African Union, Muammar Gaddafi has already made it known to his peers that he wants them to call him "the king of traditional African kings" from now on. But behind this umpteenth caprice lies a real attachment to the concept of a 'United States of Africa', a continent united by one federal government, inspired by the American model.
Now at the head of the panafrican organisation - but just for one year - will the Libyan chief be able to provide the impetus to put this project - already judged impossible by many African and non-African heads of state - into place? Is a United States of Africa just an utopian ideal or a real solution to all the problems affecting the continent for so many years?
Give us your views by clicking on "React" below.
AFP - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi took the reins of the 53-nation African Union at a summit on Monday amid concerns over deadly unrest in Madagascar and a bid to indict Sudan's president for war crimes.
Kadhafi, elected in a closed-door vote at the summit in the Ethiopian capital, vowed to press ahead with plans to create a "United States of Africa" despite other leaders' reluctance to back his objective.
The summit, which ends on Tuesday, has been overshadowed by political unrest in Madagascar, torn apart in a power struggle that has killed 68 people so far.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the summit he was "particularly concerned" about the crisis, and urged that all parties "address their differences peacefully and through existing constitutional mechanisms."
Ban also called on Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir to comply with any action by the International Criminal Court, which is considering whether to indict him for alleged war crimes in Darfur, despite objections from other African leaders.
"He should fully cooperate with the decision of the ICC," Ban told a press conference on the sidelines of the summit.
AU Commission President Jean Ping told leaders earlier that the bloc was trying to lobby international support for a 12-month stay in judges' consideration of the request, "to give a greater chance to the peace process".
Ban hailed moves toward forming a new government in Somalia, and said he would meet later in the day with new president elected last week.
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Comments (7)
afrikan unity
Only the criminals who have been and still continue to exploit Afrika would think of Afrikan Unity as utopia. On the other hand, the unification of our whole continent would provide strength for our Afrikan prosperity; this we shall live to see. Afrikan Unity is our future and our future is now.
united states of africa.
the time is come for african leaders to stop to look on their interest or on the interest of their countries.it is time to think about how we, africans, are going to grow up together. individualism is the reason why countries in the world and even men knew the fall down.God ask us to look on the communal interest before the individual ones. if the whole body(africa) is healthy, everybody, every nation in africa will also be wealthy.it is beneficial to fight against the vices of colonization alone.together we can break it. so, strong and wealthy countries should sustain weak and poor ones for them to stop to be managed by foreigners. the lybian head of state had a marvelous idea.
United States of Africa
Why not? United we stand, divided we fall. I would love to know how I could help or get involved. Thank you for sharing...
Welcome to the new USA
I believe this is a great idea. Africans are strugglin with wars of power everywhere (Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia, DRC, Ivory coast...), and I thing this will reduce this factor of poverty and they will all focus on the economic
U S AFrica
Well said!
It is a good idea to pursue unity to becom powerfull. If that happen with Africa than next will ASIA so on. I will even prefer for the all world to become one, one people with no immigration or wars. We all came from on ancestre and we need to see ourself as on people, no as enemie to one an other. No one will talk anymore about Americain interest but all people interest in the name of unity. The only danger will be religion.
Colonel Gaddafi has a great vision for Africa
The Africa states must come together to prevent wars and poverty in this rich continent. If Africa has become a a united States of Africa, therefore it will boost their economic, social and developement because all the states will have one goal to achieve each year. Further, it will reduce dictorship and corruption across the continent. This is a long-term development for Africa because China will become the main backbone of Africa development.
USA-United States of Africa
I wonder who Kadhafi thinks would make a good president?!!!...Doesn't Africa know it has enought problems? Does it really want to become like Libya? Shane of those black African "kings," bought and paid for, hailing their owner as their king.