30th AU summit concludes with call for African unity, eradicating corruption

ADDIS ABABA,  The 30th African Union (AU) summit concluded on Monday with a call for strengthening the African unity and the fight against corruption. 
The summit, which was held at the headquarters of the pan African block in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from Jan. 22 to 29, underscored the need to eradicate corruption and poverty in the African content together with fast tracking the realization of AU's flagship Agenda 2063. 
Paul Kagame, Rwandan President and current Chairman of the African Union, said in his closing remarks that the summit "was successful with major decisions that would go a long way in helping the continent achieve its short, medium and long term goals and prosperity of Africa." 
Kagame further underscored the substance of the summit's outcome with a potential "to drive the continent forward." 
According to Kagame, the summit mainly stressed Africa's independence, "pulling together its resources, work together, be more efficient, and more effective with one voice and support each other." 
Kagame, however, stressed the change of mindset and hard-work towards the realization of the expected African unity and the reform process of the union. 
"Africa isn't going to remain as a place that keeps depending on the kindness of other parts of the world," Kagame affirmed, adding that "there are things that we can depend so much on ourselves." 
"If we have problems we mobilize resources and deploy resources to get the results we want," he added. 
According to Kagame, the reform process has mobilized African leaders towards improving the situation in Africa and together leading the African continent forward. 
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, also said that "the choice of the fight against corruption is a very relevant choice." 
"This scourge is impacting the development of Africa," he said, adding that "it is a necessary imperative to fight corruption, which is a matter that has to be everyone's concern." 
According to Mahamat, the fight against corruption "is very, pertinent and very important and has to be everybody's struggle." 
The Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), the free movement of persons and goods, and the implementation of Yamoussoukro decision on the single market and liberalization of air transport in Africa, were amongst of the major discussion topics of the summit, according to Mahamat. 
The two days session of the African Heads of State and Government has also launched the Solemn Commitment on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). 
The consideration of the report of the Executive Council, the Annual report of the Chairperson of the Commission for the period January to December 2017, and the report on the implementation of the Assembly Declarations were also part of the summit. Enditem 
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