Political Will, necessary for Union Government - Kufour

The Chairman of the African Union, President John Agyekum Kufuor has said Africa needs political will and strengthening of regional blocs in order to have a Union Government.

Opening the Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Accra, President Kufuor said sub-regional groupings play a critical role in unification and must be streamlined and coordinated.

“Unfortunately, over the past two decades or so of their establishment, these groupings have not performed to the degree of efficiency and purposefulness which would assure an objective observer of the day of the attainment of the Continental Government. There has been lack of political will and commitment on the part of the component governments in implementing various protocols setting up these regional groupings thereby, slowing down the pace of integration,’ he said.

President Kufuor called on his colleagues to commit themselves to “implementing the protocols dedicated to the integration programmes.”

He said Union Government is possible when there is access to free movement of people and goods, establishment of customs’ unions, common policies and programmes.

President Kufuor said priority should also be given to transportation and telecommunication networks, and pooling of energy resources among countries.

He called on African leaders to establish mutual trust and respect amongst each other in order to approach the Union Government with a common objective and without fear.

President Kufuor said: “Permit, me to state unambiguously that, given the complexities and practical difficulties in the path of attaining this Union Government in one form or the other, the topmost prerequisite facing us as leaders of the continent should be mutual trust and respect. We must also acknowledge the necessity for shared values in terms of respect for human rights, principles of good governance and rule of law.”

He said whatever transpires at the debate should reflect the views of the ordinary people in Africa.

“Let me therefore appeal again that we all engage in the debate with mutual trust, mutual respect, fellow-feeling and abiding faith in the great future that awaits our continent…I am confident that at the end of our deliberations, we should be able to arrive at a common understanding of the sort of “Continental Government” we want for ourselves and how to develop a roadmap with time lines towards its realization.”

Credit: GNA