Ellen Holds Bilateral Talks At AU Summit -As Liberia Takes Leadership Role

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Saturday held bilateral discussions with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr. Johnnie Carson, in the Ethiopian capital. The talks between President Sirleaf and the State Department official focused on Liberia’s development agenda and United States support in achieving these goals, with the Liberian leader praising the United States for remaining supportive of Liberia’s reconstruction programs. The Liberian leader spoke of her administrations’ progress in meeting some of the basic needs of the Liberian people, despite the difficult economic challenges which have been compounded by the global financial meltdown. The situation, the President noted, has affected the implementation of programs in critical areas in the “Lift Liberia” Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). The President spoke specifically about unemployment in the country and its potential to undermine the gains made over the years, saying, now that the financial situation has stabilized, she is hopeful that investment activities, put on hold during the financial crisis, will resume. Assistant Secretary of State Carson assured the President Sirleaf of his Government’s continued support in addressing the challenges facing Liberia. The United States, he said, is impressed with the progress Liberia is making and will continue to provide the necessary support to help the country reap the dividends of peace. Also on Saturday, the Liberian President received in audience the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mr. Lawrence Cannon, and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki. In a related development, President Johnson Sirleaf held discussions with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. The two Presidents discussed possible areas of collaboration to strengthen the already cordial ties between their two countries. The meeting between the two Presidents was preceded by discussions between the Liberian President and the Foreign Minister of Niger, Madam Aichatou Mindaoudou. The Mano River Union Chairperson, serving as an ECOWAS representative, is also mediating in the political situation in Niger. With the Liberian President serving as Chairperson at Monday’s session, the AU Heads of State and Government are continuing their deliberations behind closed doors. During the morning session, the Heads of State adopted the Union’s budget for the 2010 financial year, while members of the Peace and Security Council were also appointed. The leaders also considered several reports, including the Report of the Commission on the Implementation of Previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly; the Report on the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa; as well as the Report of the Commission on Unconstitutional Changes of Government. The Summit ends today (Tuesday) with a closing ceremony, followed by a press conference to be hosted by the Chairperson of the Union and the Chairperson of the Commission. The 14th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union opened Sunday with the summit endorsing the election of Liberia as the 3rd Vice President of the Union. At a close door session, the Heads of State and Government also endorsed the election of Gabon as the first Vice President and Uganda, as the second Vice President. The countries are members of a new bureau that would run the affairs of the Union for a one-year term. The President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika becomes the new Chairperson, succeeding Libyan Leader, Muammar El Gaddafi. Libya will now serve as the fourth Vice President on the bureau. As Vice President, Liberia along with Gabon, Uganda, and Libya will, in collaboration with the Chairperson of the Union, provide guidance in the running of the affairs of the African Union during a one-year term which begins in February 2010 and ends February 2011. Liberia’s election followed an impressive presentation at a sub-regional level meeting chaired by Burkina Faso, to consider among, other issues, the question of Vice President for the Union from the ECOWAS sub-region. Meanwhile, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Sunday presented awards to two African scientists for their roles in stimulating scientific research on the continent. Professor Jan Hidelbrand of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa was the winner in the Basic Science and Innovation category, while in the Earth and Life Sciences category, the winner was Dr. Patrick George Ericcson of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. President Johnson Sirleaf, in congratulating the recipients urged them to continue striving for excellence through science. AUC Chairperson Dr. Jean Ping said the objective of the award is to stimulate scientific research at national, regional and continental levels. AUC sources say it is the first time, through the African Union, that Africa is expressing gratitude to science by awarding two African scientists with awards for excellence. The winners were chosen from 50 candidates through a transparent process carried out by the African Union. Each winner received US$100 000. During Sunday’s opening session, the African Union unveiled its new flag. To tunes of the AU anthem, the new flag was hoisted by the outgoing Chairperson of the African Union, Libyan leader Muammar El Gaddafi. During the 8th African Union Summit which took place in Addis Ababa on 29 and 30 January 2007, the Heads of State and Government decided to launch a competition for the selection of a new flag for the Union. They prescribed a green background for the flag symbolising hope of Africa and stars to represent Member States. The AUC received a total of 106 entries proposed by citizens of 19 African countries and two from the Diaspora. The proposals were then examined by a panel of experts put in place by the African Union Commission and selected from the five African regions for short listing according to the main directions given by the Heads of State and Government. At the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, the Heads of State and Government examined the report of the Panel and selected one among all the proposals. The flag is now part of the paraphernalia of the African Union and replaces the old one. This year’s summit has as its theme: “Information and Communication Technologies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects for Development’. It entered a closed session Sunday afternoon following opening speeches delivered by the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Mr. Jean Ping, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, Guest of Honour, Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of Spain, and the outgoing chairman of the African Union, Libyan Leader, Muammar El Gaddafi, as well as the incoming Chairperson of the Union, Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Mutharika expressed his and the Malawian peoples’ condolences over the tragic accident of an Ethiopian airways plane on 25 January as well as to families of victims of the Haitian earthquake. Dr. Mutharika said he would priorities food security in his term of office, adding that Africa should strive to achieve food security for its people and to feed its people before exporting. “I am, therefore, proposing that our agenda for Africa should focus on Agriculture and food security. I propose that our slogan should be “Feeding Africa through new technologies; let us act now”, the Chairperson said.