Australia urges end to extermination of Palestinians and African conflicts

African Heads of State Gather for 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa

The 39th African Union Summit began on Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, bringing together heads of state from the 55 member states of the African Union. The two-day meeting is expected to focus on various regional and global issues, including security challenges, governance, democracy, climate change, and water sanitation.

Chairman of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf addressed the summit, stating that the international community must take action to prevent the extermination of the Palestinian people. He also called for the lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian goods in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Youssouf emphasized the importance of international law and humanitarian law, highlighting the need for a permanent African seat in the UN Security Council. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the AU as a “flagship for multilateralism” at a time of global division and mistrust.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed highlighted the issue of water conservation on the continent, stating that water is essential for development, innovation, and stability. The summit will also address issues such as interstate disputes over resources, deadly tensions between farmers and herders, and antigovernment protests.

Reports from Al Jazeera indicate that unresolved questions from last year’s gathering, including cuts in global aid, continue to be a concern. The ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and South Sudan are also expected to be discussed.

The African Union summit brings together leaders from across the continent, with an estimated 1.4 billion people, representing about a fifth of the global population.

Source: Al Jazeera