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Herald Reporter

ZIMBABWE has joined other countries on the continent for two African Union extraordinary summits being held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, aimed at deepening and consolidating regional solidarity in the area of peace and unity.

Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri is leading the delegation on behalf of President Mnangagwa while Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi will represent Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava both of whom are attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The two summits are on the extraordinary humanitarian summit and pledging conference to be held today while another one on terrorism and unconstitutional changes in Africa will be held tomorrow.

It will see the participation of Government Ministers and Heads of State and Government from the continent.

The summits, which started on Wednesday, began with the meeting of the executive council which considered the agenda of the two summits as well as the assembly declarations.

African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat is expected to present the commission reports on the prevention and combating of terrorism and violent extremism and on unconstitutional changes of government in Africa.

“The session on terrorism and unconstitutional change of government will assess these persistent threats, evaluate current response mechanisms, and decide on the specific actions and measures necessary to strengthen the collective security of member states facing terrorism and violent extremism. Furthermore, the summit will discuss actionable measures needed to stem their upsurge on the continent,” reads an AU statement.

“Among other issues, the assembly will also consider the recommendations in the Accra Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa emanating from the AU Reflection Forum, held on 15-17 March 2022 in Accra, Ghana.”

The Extraordinary AU humanitarian summit and pledging conference will deliberate on efforts by African leaders to address the current humanitarian challenges that Africa is facing, and that are exacerbated by the socio-economic impacts of Covid-19 and disasters across the continent.

It will also identify durable solutions to address the current humanitarian challenges especially of humanitarian financing and those that contribute to post-conflict recovery, peace and development.

Some of the expected outcomes for the two summits are pledges and commitments to the continental humanitarian situation, an assembly declaration on the extraordinary humanitarian summit and pledging conference, and an assembly declaration on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government.

In his Africa Day message, President Mnangagwa condemned injustices, superiority complexes, and xenophobic elements dogging the world.

President Mnangagwa said the continent must always draw inspiration from its founding fathers who came together to forge a broader continental alliance that seeks to advance the aspirations of African people and make Africa and its people, in their diversity, fend for themselves.