AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIÃO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P. O. Box 3243 Telephone : 517 700 Fax : 517844
PRESS RELEASE NO 01/2004
2nd Session of the Pan- African Parliament Opens in Midrand, South
Africa.
The 2nd Session of the Pan African Parliament was on Thursday, September 16, 2004 declared open at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, South Africa at a ceremony attended by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, the President of the Pan African Parliament, Ambassador Gertrude Mongella, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Mrs. Julia Dolly Joiner, who represented the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and distinguished guests from other parts of the world, including the President of the Republic of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, and President Chiage Oogi of the Japanese Senate.
President Mbeki underscored the importance of the Pan African Parliament and said
that it was meant to, among other things, help Africa meet the goals it has set for
itself and for the masses to reflect about their condition and their history. âThe Pan
African Parliamentâ, according to Mbeki, âwill create a new space for us as Africans to forge a collective identity and to act together in our interest both within and between our countries as well as in many important global engagements with other regions and the rest of the Worldâ.
The President of the Pan African Parliament, Ambassador Gertrude Mongella noted
that the Pan African Parliament was meant to be a Parliament in which the voices of
all Africans are heard.
Mrs. Julia Dolly Joiner in her remarks commended the efforts deployed by Member
States of the African Union in accelerating the launching of the Pan African
Parliament and particularly the Republic of South Africa, in planning and hosting this
great occasion.
The Second Parliamentary Session under the theme: âOne Africa, One Voiceâ will
before adjournment in fourteen days, among other things discuss the Vision, Mission
and Strategic Plan of the African Union, debate NEPAD and the African Peer Review
Mechanism (APRM), discuss security issues, adopt its own Rules of Procedure,
budget and Recommendations and Resolutions. Till date, 46 Member states have
ratified the Protocol relating to the establishment of the Pan African Parliament.
Gallagher Estate, Midrand, South Africa.
Thursday, September 17 2004
http://www.africa-union.org/home/Welcome.htm
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A story on India's contribution to Africa, from "The Hindu" http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200409161807.htm :
Top Stories
India to provide $50 mn to African countries Johannesburg, Sept. 16. (PTI): Taking its 'Focus Africa' policy forward, India today announced a 50 million dollar assistance to connect 53 African countries through satellite and fibre optic network. "Yesterday I had a discussion with my Prime Minister. In honour of Indo-PanAfrican partnership, our Government has decided to provide seamless and integrated satellite fibre optics and wireless network connecting 53 African countries for tele-education, tele-medicine and e-services," President A P J Abdul Kalam said in a historic address to Pan-African Parliament session of African Union. The network would connect five universities, 53 learning centres, 10 super speciality hospitals and 53 patient-end locations in rural areas. It would cost 50 million dollars for installation, initial opening and maintenance for three years.
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