High security alert at AU Summit

Accra, June 26, GNA - The 9th Summit of the African Union (AU) would go down in the history this country as probably the single occasion that attracted the highest level of security alertness in terms of technology and personnel.

For once, hundreds of men and officers from both the Police, Military and Security Services are on a joint security alert at the summit venue, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), the VIP lounge of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), various hotels and residences where the Heads of State and governments as well as other delegates would be lodging and every other location designated for use during the conference.


While the police and the Security Services manned the main entrances, the military are spread strategically all over the summit venue.


The work of the security personnel at the entrances caused occasional vehicular traffic on the portion of the Castle road that stretched between the Osu cemetery and the Liberation Square, as well as some human traffic at the entrance of the AICC lobby.


Meanwhile security services had announced plans to close that portion of the castle road from Saturday June 30, 2007 to ensure that the road was clear for the arrival of the heads of states and government on Sunday July 1, 2007 for the official opening of their session. In terms of technology, the South African government had sponsored a security company from that country to provide badges and tags for delegates, security personnel, the media, protocol officers and other personnel on duty during the summit.


At least five different security badges were listed in the protocol and information guide document of the summit. They included those for general access, plenary sessions, closing sessions, car passes and photographers/camerapersons.


In issuing the badges and tags, the security company took more detailed information than usual, including double thumb prints and street addresses from everyone provided with badges and tags. But that did not make it any easier for accredited persons to go anywhere at the summit venue, as there was for instance a tight screening mechanism at the entrance of the lobby to ensure that no one entered with any foreign substance and non-approved items.

The high security alert was just one aspect of what the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission described as an excellent arrangement by the government for the summit.


The media for instance were completely cut out of the action in the main conference hall but provision had been made for them in a three-in-one cabin mounted west of the main conference. The cabin had internet facilities, waiting places and press briefing rooms for the media. It also had a restaurant and some exhibitions have been mounted within it as well.


Other arrangements listed in the protocol and information guide included protocol, transports, accommodation as well as banquet receptions for delegates.


In terms of protocol the document noted that all heads of governments and states would be accompanied by an attendant of honour and every other delegate would each be attached with a protocol liaison. It said the government of Ghana would provide hospitality for Heads of States and first ladies, foreign affairs ministers and permanent representative (ambassadors) and two other person attached to each of them, but all other delegates would be responsible for their own hospitality.


Speaking of hospitality, there had been media reports that most hotels and guest houses were already fully booked. Each Head of State and his or her entourage would also be provided with at least seven vehicles on arrival and for departure, the document stated.


A number of fun and entertainment activities had been planned for delegates whiles they were in the country; they included three separate banquets, one to be hosted by Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo and two to be hosted by President John Agyekum Kufuor.

There was also a grand opening entertainment programme at the Alisa hotel later on the evening of July 1, 2007, when the 9th ordinary assembly of heads of States and government would actually take off. Apart from the heads of government meeting, there were several other meetings planned as part of the summit. They include the AU Civil Society Organizations Meeting, June 19 - 21 and Joint Africa-Europe Private Sector Business Forum, June 21 - 22, which were held prior to the political sessions.


The political sessions included the 14th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) June 25 - 26, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Meeting, June 27 - 30, 11th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, June 28 - 29 and the Seventh Summit of the NEPAD Heads of States and Government Implementation Committee. There was also the Meeting of the African First Ladies on July 2, 2007.


Meanwhile, public discussions on what the people's expectations were of their leaders at the summit were still ongoing in the various local and international media. The pessimists kept giving reasons why the union government was not possible whiles the optimists insisted that the time was just right for the realization of the United States of Africa (USA).


The cautious ones kept harping the gradualist approach whiles the more radical ones call for concrete decisions and measures to be put in place by the close of the summit on July 3, 2007.


The need to involve the masses had been key in public discussions on the matter, with various commentators insisting that Pan-Africanism, which was the mother of the AU, was in fact a mass movement and not an elitist initiative. 26 June 07