Equatorial Guinea Hosts 25th Session Of The Executive Council Of The African Union

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Equatorial Guinea's minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Agapito Mba Mokuy, led the 25^th ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU).

During his welcoming speech, Minister Mba Mokuy said Equatorial Guinea is committed to defending African interests. He pointed out the theme chosen in this forum, "Agriculture and Food Security," and made reference to the great challenges faced by the continent.

"Africa has abundant areas of fertile and arable land, with the highest proportion of young population and highest levels of human growth. However, Africa cannot benefit from its potential because it suffers situations of insecurity or lack of self-governance. This is a huge challenge in the context of the commitments to our citizens, who wish to live in a continent that is self-sufficient and able to provide and meet the basic needs of its citizens," concluded Minister Mba Mokuy.

The minister of foreign affairs concluded his speech asking the ordinary session of the Executive Council to include proposals to solve the problems of peace, insecurity and terrorism, among others, which he said, "continue to obstruct the economic development of the African continent."

The Executive Council of the AU consists of ministers and special authorities designated by the governments of the states that make up the institution, and is the responsible body before the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

The chairperson of the AU Commission, Dlamini Zuma, joined Minister Mba Mokuy at the opening session of the Executive Council of the African Union, as did the executive secretary of the Economic Commission of United Nations for Africa, Carlos Lopes, who is also deputy secretary general of the United Nations; and the minister of foreign affairs and Cooperation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Ahmed Ould Teguedi.

The presidents of Equatorial Guinea, Spain, Egypt and the Palestinian State, the vice president of Cuba and the secretary general of United Nations, among others, will participate in the opening of the session of the Assembly of Heads of State of the African Union Summit (AUS) taking place in Malabo on June 26 - 27.

The Year of Agriculture and Food Security will be presented by Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture on June 26. The study of the budget for 2015, and a series of technical analyses, including the Report of the Peace and Security Council, will take place on June 27. Other subjects to be discussed on the last day of the AUS are the Project for the Establishment of the African Monetary Fund; the Draft AU Convention for Transboundary Cooperation (Niamey Convention), and the study of the report of the president of the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, regarding the contributions to the African common position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

About Equatorial Guinea
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea