African leaders resolve to ensure good governance - Kufuor

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday said African leaders had resolved to ensure good governance, adherence to human rights and the improvement of the lives of its people, which were cardinal points of the Charter of the newly launched African Union (AU). He said with the peer review mechanism in place, the leaders could be beckoned to ensure that these cardinal principles were realised.

President Kufuor announced this to journalist at the Kotoka International Airport on his return from South Africa where he participated in the inauguration of the African Union, which replaced the Organisation of Africa Unity. He said African people should be actively involved in the implementation of the AU Charter, adding that "the AU belongs to the people of Africa and not a club of Heads of State as was perceived during the OAU days."

President Kufuor said the AU urged the developed countries to see Africa as the "continent of the 21st century" as it strived to promote sound economic policies to ensure that poverty and ignorance were eradicated.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who accompanied the President, said the summit which was attended by 43 Heads of State and Mr Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, discussed the controversial issue on Madagascar. The summit also charged President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, who had become the first Chairman of AU to pursue the matter further with the Madagascar leader, Ravalomanana for a constitutional solution.

According to him President Kufuor held bilateral discussion with the UN Secretary General on efforts the government was making to move Ghana forward. President Kufuor also met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy, where a reconfirmation of a 10 million dollar soft loan for agro-processing and a 500,000-dollar grant for studies on small-scale industries in Ghana was discussed.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang said the President also met with potential investors in the Railway industry on how to assist the industry in Ghana and re-equip the Ghana Police Service. The meeting appointed the former Secretary-General of the OAU, Salim Ahmed Salim as the Acting Chairman of the AU Commission, while 25 per cent of the membership of the Commission was allotted to women.

At the airport to meet the President were the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, the Inspector General of Police Mr. Ernest Owusu-Poku, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Seth Obeng and Mr Ibrahim Omar, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.