Published on : 26/05/2022 – 10:39
The extraordinary summit of the African Union has been preparing since Wednesday in Malabo in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, where African foreign ministers are examining the declarations to be submitted to heads of state at the end of the week.
With our special correspondent in Malabo, Peter Sassou Dogbe
This African Union executive council meeting opens in particular at a time when Africa is marked by many crises. Between the return of the coups, particularly in West Africa, or the rise of jihadist threats in the Sahel and their progression towards the Gulf of Guinea, diplomats have their work cut out for them. This Wednesday, the humanitarian issue was on the agenda.
In addition to the issue of terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government, the continent is also weakened by the health crisis linked to Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine which is hurting the economy. So many crises that cause an alarming humanitarian situation that must be remedied. ” In terms of needs, globally, we have more than 135 million people targeted by humanitarian assistance in Africa out of a global need of 46 billion for 300 million people throughout the world. So half of the populations who need our action are on the African continent. “, explains Modibo Traoré, the head of the United Nations humanitarian office in Niger (Ocha).
An African humanitarian agency?
For Aïssata Tall Sall, Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, the solution to African problems requires the mobilization of the continent: “ On the humanitarian situation, the situation is still alarming on the continent: 27 million people are refugees or displaced. So we believe that the urgency today is to find solutions here and now ».
And it is precisely during this summit that the question must be studied, according to the head of Senegalese diplomacy: ” This is the place to express our desire for an Africa for all, without exclusivity or exclusion. In the corridors of this ministerial meeting, the creation of an African humanitarian agency and the establishment of a special emergency fund which will be fed by the financial participation of each country is mentioned. A statement to this effect will be submitted to the Head of State next Saturday.