Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Libreville (Fides Service)- Heads of state and members of the African Union Peace and Security Council AUPSC will attend a summit meeting, today 10 January and tomorrow January 11, in Libreville, capital of Gabon to discuss the three main crisis areas in Africa, Darfur, Ivory Coast and Democratic Congo.
No less than 30 heads of state have been invited to join representatives of the 15 nation members AUPSC, Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, South Africa and Sudan. Participants will include Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, Angolan president José Dos Santos, Tanzanian Benjamin Mkapa, Joseph Kabila President of Democratic Congo, Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the respective presidents of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade, Mali Amadou Toumani Touré and Rwanda Paul Kagame. Laurent Gbago President of Ivory Coast who at first declined the invitation saying he would be represented by his Minster for regional integration Théodore Mel Eg, surprised everyone by turning up after all.
For the first time representatives of 9 other countries, members of the Economic Community of West African Countries (CEDEAO) but not members of the AUPSC, have been invited to this AUPSC summit.
The first question on the agenda is Ivory Coast divided since September 2002 in two zones: one under troops loyal to President Gbago, the other in the hands of New Force rebels. AU mediator South African president Mbeki is due to give a report on developments in his mission of mediation.
The second question will be the crisis in Eastern Democratic Congo where the army is fighting rebels, backed by Rwanda according to Kinshasa. The third issue for discussion will be the western Sudanese region of Darfur where civil conflict has killed more than 70,000 and reduced to a state of refugee more than 1.5 million. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 10/1/2005 righe parole)
