- Says such will help to address the continent’s challenges
Equatorial Guinea’s Capital, Malabo, Effective policy implementation and initiative-taking, according to the President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, are key tools in resolving the myriad issues that the African continent is currently facing.
According to a dispatch from Malabo, President Weah, speaking at the African Union (AU) Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Friday, May 27, 2022, urged his colleagues to prioritize the involvement of relevant regional and continental institutions, as well as development partners, in addressing the continent’s devastating situations.
Natural and man-made disasters, the President stated, continue to generate some of the most complex humanitarian crises on the African continent.
Terrorism, insurgencies, and civil wars, he claims, are to blame for the majority of the crises, which result in mass displacements both within and across national borders.
“These predicaments have exponentially increased humanitarian needs among the most vulnerable populations, who are already confronted with multiple risk factors such as conflict and environmental degradation,” the President said, adding that these risk factors have exacerbated the continent’s philanthropic needs, with more than 114 million Africans in the fifteen most affected countries requiring immediate assistance.
President Weah warned his colleagues that financial response plans for dealing with the current issues have been significantly underfunded, emphasizing that “the budget gap between available income and planned expenditures remains very large.”
“We must implement inclusive and initiative-taking policies in concert with relevant regional and continental institutions, as well as our development partners, if we are to address the potential drivers of conflicts and climate change to confront the current humanitarian challenges,” he urged African leaders.
Dr. Weah is also confident in Africa’s ability to develop “resilience policies and solutions through regionalism and cross-border links,” as he puts it.
Greater action on regional and multilateral agreements, he says, will lead to more flexibility in dealing with conflicts and climate change.
The President is certain that, with the assistance and commitment of Member States, they will be able to move promptly to ensure that no person, community, or country is left behind in regions where conflict and climate change are occurring.
President Weah stated that Liberia will play a significant role in the African Union’s business and structures, in keeping with the country’s main development strategy, the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, which he claimed was aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
He also urged the conference to continue discussion as a means of resolving African challenges.
He urged the EU not to overlook the war between Russia and Ukraine, which he claims is harming global trade and economies.
Mr. Teodore Obiang Nguema MBASOGO, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, was praised by the President for making him and his delegation feel welcome.
Mr. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, was also commended for his choice as African Union Chairperson, stressing that his decision to convene the sessions was both timely and welcome.
