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Security Developments Play Havoc With AU Summit Agenda

   Peter Heinlein | Addis Ababa  January 27, 2011
   18th  Ordinary  Session  of  the  Executive  Council  in  Addis Ababa,
   Ethiopia, January 27, 2011

Photo: AU

   18th  Ordinary  Session  of  the  Executive  Council  in  Addis Ababa,
   Ethiopia, January 27, 2011

   African  foreign ministers meeting in Addis Ababa are being confronted
   with several late-breaking developments as they survey the continentâs
   rapidly  changing security landscape. Reports of non-agenda items such
   as Tunisia, Egypt and â more recently Gabon â have inserted themselves
   into the dialogue.
   These African Union foreign ministers talks were meant to be primarily
   about Ivory Coast, Somalia and Sudan. These three countries are slated
   to  be  the subject of special mini-summits when heads of state arrive
   beginning Friday.
   UN  Secretary  General  Ban  Ki-moon will be on hand to co-chair those
   meetings.
   But  events  have  a  way  of  disrupting the best-laid plans. Hallway
   chatter  at  Thursdayâs  opening  session  of  the  foreign ministerâs
   meeting was more about the arrest warrants issued for Tunisiaâs former
   president  Zine El Abedine Ben Ali, the unrest in Egypt, and the story
   of  the opposition leader in Gabon who declared himself president this
   week, then sought UN protection.
   AU  Commission  Chairman  Jean  Ping  brought up the Tunisian question
   Thursday  in  his  address  to  the  opening  session  of  the foreign
   ministers  meeting.  Hours earlier, he issued a strong statement about
   events in Gabon.
   Mr. Ping, a former Gabonese foreign minister, condemned the opposition
   leaderâs  actions,  saying they were likely to undermine the integrity
   of legitimate institutions.
   AU  spokesman Noureddine Mezni says delegates at these AU meetings are
   keeping a close eye on the latest developments in North Africa.
   "These  issues  are  not inscribed on the agenda of the summit, but of
   course  Iâm  sure  the  member  states will discuss among themselves,â
   Mezni  said.  âAnd  as  you  noticed, Ping just mentioned the Tunisian
   case."
   With  the  rapidly  changing events in North Africa, the AU halls were
   abuzz  Thursday  with  word  that  one regular summit attendee, Libyan
   leader  Moammar Gadhafi, might miss this event. When asked whether Mr.
   Gadhafi  was coming, Libyaâs Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa turned and
   walked away.
   Thursdayâs  opening  ministerial  session  was  addressed  by visiting
   ministers  from  Japan, Denmark, India and Australia.  Danish Foreign
   Minister  Lene Espersen noted the recent trend toward democratization,
   and  welcomed the African Unionâs determination to halt the phenomenon
   of unconstitutional power grabs.
   "It  is  unfortunate that recently we have seen a number of challenges
   to  electoral  processes  and  institutions, latest in Cote dâIvoire,â
   said   Espersen.   âWhile   these  incidents  are  disappointing,  the
   continentâs   firm   response   has  shown  that  Africa  possesses  a
   well-developed  framework of agreed democratic standards, and a set of
   institutions to deal with such challenges."
   Observers Friday will be watching closely to see whether South African
   President Jacob Zuma attends a special Heads of State level meeting of
   the AU Peace and Security Council on Ivory Coast.
   Mr.  Zuma  is due to fly to Addis Ababa from Switzerland, where he has
   been  attending the World Economic Forum. But news of Nelson Mandelaâs
   hospitalization  has sparked speculation he may go straight home to be
   at Mr. Mandelaâs bedside.
   Statements  from the government and the Nelson Mandela Foundation have
   indicated  the  92-year-old  icon  of  South  Africaâs  anti-apartheid
   struggle is in no danger.

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