Africa-Press – Angola. The outgoing president of the African Union (AU) Executive Council, Tete Antonio, highlighted on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the continental organization’s significant progress made in terms of institutional reforms, multilateral diplomacy, and the promotion of peace and security during Angola’s term.
Speaking at the opening of the 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, in preparation for the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government, the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that the meeting marks the end of Angola’s term, a moment he considered one of assessment, shared responsibility, and projection of the organization’s future.
The diplomat said that throughout his presidency, Angola based its actions on a pragmatic, inclusive, and results-oriented approach, highlighting the fact that there have been significant advances, notably the completion of the process for choosing the organization’s leadership and the beginning of the implementation of the Skills Audit and Competency Assessment (SACA) process, a strategic initiative focused on institutional reform and human resource management.
Tete Antonio pointed to efforts to revitalize the working methods of the Union’s bodies, with a view to making them more efficient, predictable and aligned with the ambitions of Agenda 2063, “The Africa We Want”.
He added that Angola promoted active and constructive diplomacy, contributing to the holding of important ministerial meetings that created the political conditions for the holding of TICAD-9 in Yokohama, Japan, as well as the 7th African Union–European Union Summit, hosted in Luanda.
These meetings, he stressed, reinforced Africa’s voice in global forums and consolidated strategic partnerships based on mutual respect and common interests.
Peace and Security
Regarding peace and security, the Angolan minister said that Angola made a consistent contribution during its term on the African Union Peace and Security Council in technical-diplomatic and political levels.
The diplomat underscored that this commitment led to the appointment of Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, as facilitator for the Sahel region, and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of Togo, as African Union mediator in the dispute between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Tete Antonio noted that the country also supported initiatives that promoted peace, stability and reconciliation in various African contexts, including the Central African Republic, Somalia, South Sudan and Libya, always in close coordination with Member States, the African Union Commission, the Regional Economic Communities and international partners.
He thanked the Member States for their support to Angola throughout his term and acknowledged the collaboration of the African Union Commission, which he described as crucial to the results achieved.
Condolences
During his speech, the Angolan diplomat offered his condolences to the governments and peoples of the Kingdom of Morocco and Mozambique, following the recent floods that caused human and material losses, reiterating the African Union’s solidarity with the affected populations..
Relevance of the Executive Council
Tete Antonio highlighted the strategic role of the Executive Council in the AU’s institutional architecture, the body responsible for harmonizing continental policies and preparing structuring decisions for the Conference of Heads of State and Government.
He said the credibility and effectiveness of the organization depend, to a large extent, on the performance of this body.
During the 48th Ordinary Session, which runs until Thursday, the Executive Council will analyze the reports of the 51st Session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, the African Union’s participation in the G20, and the continent’s strategic positioning in global governance forums.
It will also elect and appoint new members for AU bodies, review legal instruments, monitor the Agenda 2063, and assess matters related to the financial contributions of member states.
The minister reiterated the importance of fair and equitable financial participation, through the adoption of a new evaluation scale, as mandated by Decision 938 of the 38th Session of the African Union Conference.
Angolan president João Lourenço will hand over the country’s presidency of the African Union at the 39th Summit of Heads of State, to take place on 14 and 15 February in Addis Ababa.
