SIRTE, Libya, Oct 10, (Agencies): HH the Amir (of Kuwait) Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah called on African and Arab nations on Sunday to bolster ties among them to face rising global challenges and achieve the aspirations of their peoples for greater cooperaton.
“The African and Arab worlds, guided by historic links, long heritage, interests and hopes and joint fate and in accordance with the aspirations of our peoples to achieve a better future are called on together for serious and ongoing drive to strengthen bridges between us,” The Amir said in his address at the opening session of the Afro-Arab summit.
The Amir added that Arabs and Africans are urged to establish a strategic partnership in order to realize broader cooperation. The Amir noted that Kuwait, through distinguished bilateral ties and heavy diplomatic presence in many African nations, has put such partnerships into perspective, namely in the economic and political fields. He said that Kuwait has numerous contributions and investments in many Arab and African countries.
The Amir said the ongoing conflicts in Somalia and Sudan are a great source of concern to Arabs and Africans, adding that Kuwait will do its utmost to bring a happy ending to them. He pointed out that Kuwait will host a conference on the construction of Sudan and will also embrace the next Arab summit in 2013. Other concerns include desertification and drought in many African regions, as well as obstacles hindering economic development, he said.
The Amir said holding of the Sirte summit comes amid international and regional political and economic challenges which require joint efforts. He said that since joining the UN in 1963, Kuwait has done a great deal toward supporting development in the Arab and African worlds, establishing the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) which has granted over $14.5 billion to over 100 countries, 40 of which are in the southern parts of Africa. He added that Arabs lay great importance to ties with Africa since its stability and security “is a stability and security for our entire Arab region”.
Meanwhile, the Amir condemned the “terrorist plots” against Bahrain and Yemen and expressed full support to all measures taken by both countries to safeguard their security and sovereignty. He said that Kuwait follows up developments related to the Iraqi government, hoping that the Iraqis would succeed in forming their government to achieve their aspirations.
The Amir condemned the Israeli anti-peace stance, which has impeded efforts to realize a better partnership with Africa.
Meanwhile, Arab and African leaders okayed here on Sunday a partnership strategy aimed at bolstering political, economic, social and cultural cooperation between the two sides. A final statement issued at the conclusion of the one-day summit, the leaders noted that the strategy conforms with UN and Arab League charters which call for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states.
The leaders pointed out that challenges and crises have become a serious threat to countries and continents which require collective efforts and bolstering cooperation and integration in all fields. The summit affirmed that the strategy aims at dedicating joint experiments and cooperation to helping underdeveloped countries achieve development goals by 2015, mainly those on reducing poverty, child and mother fatalities and cutting down diseases such as Malaria and AIDS. It also called for founding fairer international economic, financial and trade systems. The leaders urged specialized ministers to outline plans to make the strategy an attractive and desire option for African and Arab nations.
The summit urged countries, as well as the private sectors, to mobilize all financial potentials and manpower toward the success of this strategy. It called on head of the African Union Commission and the Secretary General of the Arab League to file a joint report to the next summit in Kuwait in 2013 on progress achieved in the field of cooperation.
The final statement said that leaders agreed to establish a disaster fund to fight natural and man-made crisis in Arab and African nations. The fund will receive contributions from the Arab League, African Union, private sectors and other international and regional organizations. Nearly 60 Arab and African leaders opened their meeting here earlier under the chairmanship of Libya President Muammar Gaddafi.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi warned on Sunday ahead of a south Sudan independence vote that the partition of Sudan would be a “contagious disease” that could spread to other African states.
“What is happening in Sudan could become a contagious disease that affects the whole of Africa,” Kadhafi said at the opening of an Arab-Africa summit in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte.
“We must recognise that this event is dangerous,” he said of the planned Jan 9 referendum on southern Sudan independence which could see Africa’s largest country split in two.
A second, simultaneous, referendum is set to be held in the disputed oil-rich Abyei region straddling north and south Sudan.
“The partition of Sudan is likely to change the map of the country. But other (African countries) will change too,” the Libyan leader told the gathering, which is being attended by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir.
Arab League chief Amr Mussa voiced concerns at the summit about “the referendum’s impact on security and stability on a large region of Africa and the Middle East.”
He said the League was working with Khartoum to resolve outstanding issues over the referendum, and stressed the need for “good preparation.”
Mussa called for “a credible and transparent ballot that reflects the will of the people of south Sudan and the Abyei region.”
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday urged Arab League leaders meeing in Libya to throw their strong support behind Palestinain leader Mahmud Abbas.
“I urge you to signal your strong support for president Abbas at this difficult time. He is demonstrating his commitments to legitimate Palestinian rights and to meeting the challenges of negotiating a just and lasting peace,” Ban said.
“I also encourage you to support his efforts and those of prime minister (Salam) Fayyad to build the institutions of a future State,” the UN chief added.