Guinea, at the Service of AfricaGuinea, at the Service of Africa

H.E. Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea, Head of State

Edited and Published byEmbassy of the Republic of Guinea in Ethiopia,

Permanent Mission to the African Union Commission, UNECA and UNEP Debrezeit Road, Addis Ababa PO BOX :1190

Tel: +251 114 669562 , E-mail: guineaaddisembassy@gmail.com

Foreword 2

Guinea at a glance 4

Guinea’s contribution to the liberation struggle in Africa 6

Guinea’s participation in conflict management in Africa within the AU framework 8

- The situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) 9

- The situation in Mali 9

- The situation in Guinea-Bissau 9

- The situation in South Sudan 10

The Peace and Security Council open session on natural resources and conflicts 12

Key African issues to be addressed by President Alpha Condé 14

- The Common African Position on Post-2015 Agenda 14

- African initiatives on renewable energies 16

Future prospects for the African Union 18

- Structural and functional reform of the Organization 18

- Reforming the Peace and Security Council 19

- Consolidating the People’s Health Agenda 19

- Implementing the vision of Africa on the Demographic Dividend 19

- The realization of Agenda 2063 19

- Redefining an international partnership 20

- Strengthening the operationalization of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative 20

- Mastery and control of mining in accordance with the AU mining vision 20

- Consolidating the achievements and reasserting the ideal of Pan-Africanism 20

Table of Contents

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Guinea is conscious of this dilemma of a wealthy Africa and poor Africans that since 2013, African Heads of State have embarked on an effort to eradicate poverty, to silence the guns on the continent by 2020 by putting an end to all the conflicts taking place there and accelerating the integration process through the establishment of a continental free-trade zone.

Since July 2016 in Kigali, they have also embarked on a process to reform the Union and adopted a new financing mechanism of the continental Organization.

Foreword

By endorsing the choice of their peers of ECOWAS, the African Union Heads of State and Government have thus

entrusted the Chairmanship of the Continental Organization for the year 2017 to Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea.

The Guinean tenure comes in a particular context, that of an Africa which continues to be a potential pole of growth with its dynamic population and its huge natural resources, but which still lingers in poverty and remains confined to the brink the world economy. An Africa that is already at the dawn of political change, including the new leadership at the helm of the African Union Commission, the new leadership of the United State of America (USA) and the new United Nations Secretary General. These are events that will undoubtedly impact the course of history and the march towards regional integration and African emergence.

Africa’s abundant mining, mineral and hydrographic resources are still not sufficiently used for its industrial take-off, as its strong and dynamic population, made up of more than 70% of young people, is more a source of concern for governments than a powerful agent of economic, social and cultural development.

H.E. Mrs Sidibé Fatoumata Kaba, Ambssador, Permanent representive of the Republic of Guinea to the AU, UNECA AND UNEP,

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This is to say that Professor Alpha Condé is taking command of the African Union in a context marked, on the one hand, by the willingness of African leaders to take responsibility of the destiny of their continent, in order to revive hope in their people, and on the other hand, by the reaffirmed support of the partners to Africa’s development efforts. The adoption of Agenda 2063, which is an ambitious plan for the structural transformation of Africa over a period of fifty years, is a strong signal to rekindle the desire for the emergence of Africans.

These optimistic factors are however mitigated by the persistence, or even the many conflict situations, the rise of terrorism, the intensification of the migration phenomenon and the decline in the price of commodities of which the economies of most States remain highly dependent.

The decline of the rule of law, which is reflected in the frequent attempts of unconstitutional change, is also a major concern because they can generate conflicts.

Pressures on Member States to sign political, legal and socio-economic instruments such as Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are also a threat to ongoing efforts to integrate African economies.

Piracy, maritime insecurity, the illicit exploitation of the continent’s fishery resources and the adverse effects of climate change are among the challenges to be met in order to hope for a less daunting future for Africa.

President Alpha Condé is fully aware of all these challenges and threats as he accepts the mission entrusted him by his peers. He does so all the more naturally as his Pan-Africanism and past status of militant and fighter predispose him to a large extent.

Convinced that unity is strength, he firmly believes in teamwork and hopes to be able to generate and pool together during his term of office, all initiatives and energies that can contribute to building a united and strong Africa.

Although the task is immense, the Guinean President, a man of action with obstinate will and unwavering conviction, has undertaken to resolutely tackle this mission to serve Africa as a whole.

The Guinean Leader strongly wishes to bequeath, at the end of his mandate, a more structured, better organized, more coherent and stronger African Union, more apt to address the many developmental and security challenges faced by Africa.

Ambassador Sidibé Fatoumata Kaba

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The Republic of Guinea is a West African country, located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean where it stretches on a coastal strip

of 300 km. It covers an area of 245,857 km2 for a population of 12 million.

Guinea shares borders with six countries, notablly with Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the east, Côte d’Ivoire to the southeast, Liberia and Sierra Leone to the south. The capital city is Conakry.

The country endowed with significant reserves of mineral and hydraulic resources. With regard to mineral resources, it contains considerable reserves of bauxite, iron, diamond, cobalt, clinker, slate, uranium, zinc and copper. It is the world’s second-largest bauxite producer with

Guinea at a glance

40% of the world’s reserves, after Australia. The exploitation of these resources will go a long way to contribute, thanks to an improved legal and regulatory environment, to the recovery of the Guinean economy.

The election of President Alpha Condé in December 2010, thus putting an end to the unfortunate military transition, revived the fervor of the country’s Pan-Africanism, rekindled from the top of the State, the flame of Africa’s Renaissance and allowed at the domestic level, a far-reaching reform program, especially in the area of defense and security.

Although they have inherited a difficult economic situation resulting from a poor endemic economic governance and an abject poverty in which the

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country is languishing and torn by social and ethnic tensions, the new authorities under the stewardship of Professor Alpha Conde, laid the foundations for an economic recovery that was unfortunately slowed down, but not stopped, by the outbreak of the Ebola virus.

With social cohesion regained, a government reestablished on its republican foundations, security and defense sector reformed, the country was able to resist this tsunami of another kind which, under other circumstances, would have significantly and permanently shaken it.

One should indeed welcome the fact that in Professor Conde’s era, Guinea has resolutely turned the page of repeated crises and free from the stigma of the military coup of 22 December 2008, which nearly plunged the country into an unprecedented chaos.

The consequences of this turbulent period have indeed been enormous, as the meager resources of the country were squandered in a short time, and the image and credibility of Guinea seriously jeopardized.

Guinea was barred from the processes of the Breton Wood institutions and the African Union. This explains the determination of President Alpha Condé at the domestic level, to launch a far-reaching program of reforms and outside, a diplomatic campaign to restore the image of the country. He went on to boost the economy by instilling a new growth, thanks to the resumption of cooperation with the International Financial Institutions. With the support of these technical and financial partners, Guinea reached the completion point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

P.O.Box : 2024, Boulbinet, Conakry, Republic of GuineaEmail: info@apip.gov.gn Tel.: (224) 656 31 11 14

http://www.apip.gov.gn

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Guinea gained independence on October 2, 1958, after breaking the ties with the French colonial power. It was the first African country to say no to colonization and to international sovereignty; this at a time when no alternative was possible or even conceivable.

Such a development was all the more predictable as Guinea played a leading role in the French Black Africa countries’ decolonization process. A fervent supporter of African unity, starting with that of former French West Africa (AOF), the father of Guinea’s independence, President Ahmed Sékou Touré, took part in all debates and talks on the future of the continent. Guinea therefore rightly deserves to be regarded as one of the main players in the conciliation which led to the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa

contribution to the liberation struggle in Africa and to its unity

on 25 May 1963. The recognition of this significant role was, among other things, evidenced by the double mandate given to a Guinean, namely the late Boubacar Diallo Telli as the OAU Secretary General.

Guinea’s contribution

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Keeping in line with one of the resolutions adopted at this historic conference, Guinea made the total liberation of the rest of the continent from the colonial yoke and the odious policy of apartheid, one of the priorities in its foreign policy.

Thus, this country could be seen alongside the freedom fighters in neighboring Guinea-Bissau to whom it offered a rear base while sending troops on the battlefields; lending support to the National Liberation Front (FLN) of Algeria; present in Angola alongside the fighters of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA); in Mozambique, Namibia and many other countries of which it received the leaders in large numbers and to whom it granted not only material, logistic and financial support, but also citizenship of protection and Guinean passports to allow them to move around the world.

Though not sufficiently resourced for its own survival and development needs, and despite the many hurdles that the former metropolis and its allies had put on its way, the young Guinean nation, under the guidance of the main architect of independence, late President Ahmed Sekou Touré, went on to rescue nearly all liberation movements in Africa by providing arms and ammunition, movable and real estate property, reinforcements of troops and comfort to the peoples, in terms of money, scholarships, information, advocacy rallies, etc.

Guinea was also an indefatigable herald at the United Nations rostrum, for the cause of the countries struggling for independence. He made his voice heard whenever and wherever necessary, for the cause of the African martyrs like Patrice Lumumba of Congo Leopoldville, Amilcar Cabral of Guinea-Bissau and Agostino Neto of Angola, to name but a few.

Guinea was the first African country to break its diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom in support of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU/PF) in its struggle for the independence of their country.

The Republic of Guinea has always shown great solidarity when it comes to the settlement of conflicts in Africa. Participation in peacekeeping was one of

the constant facts in its African policy, as evidenced by its involvement in peacekeeping operations, namely:

• In Congo-Leopoldville in 1961, as part of one of the first peacekeeping operations on the continent, Guinea sent a military contingent under the command of the United Nations to assist in the resolution of the conflict between President Joseph Kasavubu and his Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba.

• In Angola, in 1975, the Guinean army got involved, at a time when the young Republic, beset by a civil war between different factions as soon as it gained independence, was shaking on its foundations.

• In the People’s Republic of Benin, who in January 1976 requested support from the Guinean army to counter the mercenaries of Bob Denard who wanted to overthrow the Marxist regime of President Mathieu Kérékou.

• In Liberia in the 1970s, where the Government often used the intervention of Guinean troops to stabilize the country in accordance with the common defense pact signed with the Government of the Republic of Guinea.

Still as part of its contribution to peacekeeping, Guinea was a founding member of ECOMOG, an ECOWAS sub-regional force set up in Banjul in 1992. The Guinean contingents served for more than seven years within this force in Liberia at the expense of the Guinean Government.

Like in Liberia, Guinea intervened twice in Sierra Leone. Lastly, one should note the participation of Guinea since 2014 in peacekeeping operations in Mali (MINUSMA), where valiant Guinean soldiers lost their lives for the sake of Africa.

The election of Professor Alpha Condé at the helm of the country in December 2010 revived the Pan-African fervor and rekindled the flame of Africa’s Renaissance from the top of the Guinean State. The return of Guinea on the politico-diplomatic scene was the key priority of the new President.

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Africa is one of the most affected continents by conflicts and is repeatedly destabilized by the persistence of hotbeds of tension, resulting in

the largest number of displaced persons and refugees. Armed conflicts leading to loss of lives, destruction, famine, rape and the resurgence of terrorist activities have strained the Peace and Security Council (PSC) in its efforts to preserve peace in Africa. Poor governance, poverty and exclusion largely explain this situation of chronic socio-political instability in Africa.

The resurgence of these sterile but devastating conflicts contrasts with the efforts of ordinary African citizens who struggle all year to pull their families and their country out of scarcity. Professor Alpha Condé have been constantly calling for the silencing of guns on the continent. His ardent desire is that the African brothers and sisters who are currently entangled in the violent conflicts, observe a truce to dialogue and remember for a while, that they share a common fate as Africans.

To better contribute to the preservation of peace and security in Africa, Guinea served two successive terms as a member of the Peace and Security Council, notably from 2012 to 2016. It organized and chaired several meetings at the level of Heads of State and Government and Ambassadors. It also participated (In Somalia, Abey and Darfur), in meetings within the framework of the African Union-European Union partnership, of the United Nations Security Council and took part in the Peace and Security Council retreats in Maseru, Lesotho, Windhoek, Namibia and Abuja, Nigeria.

Guinea took an active part in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the PSC on 25 May 2015 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa and in Malabo in June 2015. During this important event, the President delivered a message on his vision for peace and stability in Africa.

In his speech, Professor Alpha Condé stressed: “It is a duty for African leaders to guarantee peace and security for our peoples in order to get Africa free of poverty and bring it into a dynamic of peace and prosperity”.

He also called on the AU Member States to contribute generously to the effective establishment of the African Standby Force (ASF) and its operationalization.

One should commend the fact that during the two consecutive meetings in 2015 and 2016, African Ministers in charge of Defense declared that this Force has attained its full operational capacity even if the Heads of State, in their wisdom, recommended maintaining the African Capacity for Immediate Crisis Response, pending the effectiveness of the ASF’s Rapid Deployment Capability.

Given that the ASF, which is part of the African Architecture of Peace and Security in accordance with the provisions of the Protocol establishing the AU Peace and Security Council, is in the final phase of its operationalization, Guinea advocates for a support of all Member States, REC/RM, for its effective launch. In particular, all these actors must regularly evaluate the operationality of the Regional Standby Forces and contribute to the effective establishment of the Continental Logistics Base, for which the AU Commission and the Republic of Cameroon have already concluded a Headquarters Agreement and defined a roadmap for its establishment in Douala.

The wish here is that the adoption of the new mechanism for financing AU activities in the area of peace and security should help to speed up the establishment and equipment of this base, which is already receiving support from partners.

But in parallel to this effort, the AU must promote and consolidate the rule of law, good governance, and respect of human rights and ensure the implementation of policies to foster the blossoming of peoples’ genius, the promotion and strengthening

Guinea’s Participation in Conflict Management in Africa within the AU Framework

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of citizenship. In short, raising awareness on the virtues of peace and building a culture of peace in school curricula is a powerful means of preventing conflicts and keeping the youth away from the vicious circle of violence.

Under the Guinean presidency in the Peace and Security Council, the following issues received particular attention:

The situation in the Central African Republic (CAR)

This country located in the heart of Africa lives up to its name, without however playing the strategic role which should follow. For decades, CAR has been experiencing series of military coups accompanied by violence, imposing constant insecurity and poverty on the people, which contrasts with the country’s enormous wealth.The Peace and Security Council devoted no fewer than four meetings to this situation and prescribed a package of measures aimed at:

• Stabilizing the country and restoring the State’s authority;

• Protecting civilian populations;• Restoring security and public order;• Reforming and restructuring defense and the

security sector;• Creating conducive conditions for the provision

of humanitarian aid to the populations in distress.

The CAR’s political elite has been called upon to facilitate the effective management of the transition by fulfilling the tasks assigned to it. The Member States renewed their confidence in the International Mission in Support of the Central African Republic (MISCA) for the efforts made with the support of the French operation SANGARIS, in a particularly challenging environment.The Guinean presidency at the Peace and Security Council laid emphasis on the mobilization of the resources necessary for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2127 provisions.

The situation in Mali

A neighboring country to Guinea, bound by the geography, history and a common destiny, the development of the conflict is closely monitored by the Guinean President, and it should be emphasized that the Malian conflict affects the entire region in general and neighboring countries in particular.

The Peace and Security Council has held several meetings on the situation in northern Mali. In February 2016, it carried out a joint mission with the European Union Permanent Security Council to get closer to the reality of the security situation in Mali.

The Guinean delegation to the Peace and Security Council has always condemned terrorist acts and insecurity in northern Mali, which are seriously jeopardizing the peace and stability of this country.

It is noteworthy, however, that the armed bands continue to exist and thus questioning the integrity of the Malian territory. Guinea wishes to emphasize that it will not accept the break-up of Mali because it strongly supports the unity and territorial integrity of this country.

The situation in Guinea-Bissau

Guinea has been tasked to mediate on behalf of ECOWAS. Like Mali, Guinea-Bissau is a neighboring country to the Republic of Guinea.

H.E. Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea and his counterpart H.E.M. Mario Vaz of Guinea-Bissau

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From 2013 to date, the Peace and Security Council has organized several meetings on the political and institutional crisis in Guinea-Bissau and deployed an evaluation mission to that country. During its mission, it held meetings with key political, institutional, social and religious actors to share the concerns of the AU in the face of the political-institutional crisis prevailing in Guinea-Bissau and whose persistence is likely to undermine the fragile achievements of the country towards consolidating peace and post-conflict reconstruction.

The Peace and Security Council delegation reiterated to the Bissau-Guinean stakeholders the AU’s readiness to assist them in their efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the country, by encouraging them to exercise restraint, defend the interests of the country and engage in a frank dialogue to resolve their political differences.

As part of its mediation in the crisis in Guinea-Bissau, the Head of State of Guinea carried out several missions to this country to attempt a new dialogue between the Bissau-Guinean actors. The meeting that was held in Conakry from 11 to 14 October 2016 under the auspices of Professor Alpha Condé, led to the conclusion of an agreement that promises new prospects for a rapid return to peace and stability in a neighboring and brotherly country faced with the horrors of war and recurrent crises.

In a statement, H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, welcomed the opening of dialogue in Conakry followed by the signing of an agreement. It urged President Alpha Condé to continue his mediation effort for peace in Guinea-Bissau.

The situation in South Sudan

Last born of the African States, on 9 July 2011, after a protracted conflict, South Sudan was forced to celebrate its two years of existence in a bloodbath and in a backdrop of a threat of dislocation of the country. The conflict broke out among the ruling class of the party in power, specifically between the President and the Vice President. People are caught

between the fires of these two rivals. Dozens of thousands of South Sudanese are fleeing to seek refuge with international organizations.

The South Sudanese tragedy reflects the weakness of institutions and the precarious nature of peace, as it highlights the Council’s lack of rapid response because indices of malaise were noticeable as far back as in July 2013.

To resolve this crisis, the Guinean presidency of January 2015 included the conflict in South Sudan on the PSC Agenda and called on the Council to hold a high-level meeting of Heads of State and Government. The AU Commission of Inquiry presented its report on the crimes and other abuses committed in that country.

In conflict management, the African Union maintains close cooperation with the UN Security Council. It is in this context that the Peace and Security Council pays a visit to New York once a year and vice versa. The same relationship exists between the African Union and the European Union.

The participation of Guinea in the various field missions enabled its to identify certain aspects of the problems discussed within the Council, and to reaffirm the solidarity of Guinea with the victims of violence of all kinds.

With regard to other issues like the proliferation of terrorist activities, sexual violence as a weapon of war and the situation of children, Guinea has strongly condemned these plagues as obstacles to peace and stability in Africa.

Concerning terrorism, Guinea has condemned within the PSC, the proliferation of terrorist activities on the continent. In the context of this fight against terrorism, it expressed its solidarity with Kenya, Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire. It was also in this context that it strongly supported the PSC decision decision to organize a special meeting on terrorism and violent extremism. This meeting took place on 2 September 2015 in Nairobi.

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The tragic events in Africa and elsewhere in the world coupled with their consequences, loss of lives, destructions and their physical, moral and psychological impact could not leave Guinea indifferent. These terrorist activities jeopardize stability and security and hamper the socio-economic development of African States.

Guinea has highlighted the scale and acuteness of the scourge and called for vigorous and urgent action to eradicate and eliminate the nuisance capacities of terrorist groups in Africa.

With regard to the pressing issues facing Africa in this difficult struggle, President Alpha Condé’s message stressed among other on the following:

• Ratification of the relevant African Union and United Nations instruments on the fight against terrorism;

• Exchange of information and coordination of activities between international organizations, national and regional mechanisms in place, as well as the mobilization of financial and logistical resources as absolute priorities;

• Combating the proliferation and uncontrolled circulation of all types of weapons including chemical weapons;

• Combating banditry and organized crime;

• Strengthening the capabilities of the defense and security forces and need for close cooperation in the fight against terrorism; and lastly

• Setting up an efficient mechanism to repress terrorist financing.

The meeting reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to fight the scourge of terrorism, and also reiterated its solidarity with Kenya.

This meeting was held at a particularly critical moment in the evolution of international relations, marked by the proliferation of terrorist activities, their ramifications throughout the continent and the appearance of various forms of extremism.

Elections in Africa

Considering that elections are moments of huge political, economic and social tensions in Africa, the Peace and Security Council regularly invites the AU Commission to report on the preparations towards such operations in Member States, in particular those where there is a risk of slippage given the context in the said country. This approach stems from the Council’s concern to prevent situations of conflict and to proactivily act towards limiting their scale or eradicate them.

It should be recalled that the AU Constitutive Act emphasizes on democracy, good governance, respect for human and peoples’ rights and the rule of law as indispensable factors for security, stability and development on the continent. It was in this context that the PSC organized an open session on elections in Africa, under the chairmanship of Guinea.

The aim of this open session was to:

• assist countries that hold elections to do so in a peaceful atmosphere;

• develop strategies to assist countries that hold elections in preventing, managing and responding to possible outbreaks of violence.

The PSC Member States stressed on the need to increase vigilance, to further invest in early warning, preventive diplomacy, and mediation. At the end of the open session, recommendations were made, notably on the need to :

• closely monitor the developments in the electoral process in the 18 countries preparing for elections in 2015;

• raise awareness among electoral actors;• put in place preventive diplomacy mechanisms ;• deploy pre-electoral assessment missions

(PAMs);• deploy observers before and after the elections.

The Council also considered other issues viewed as serious threats to peace and stability, including the natural resources management in conflict zones, the Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreak.

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The Peace and Security Council open session on natural resources and conflicts

During the Guinea chairmanship, the Peace and Security Council hold an open session on natural resources and armed conflicts, in

partnership with OXFAM International, a civil society organisation. In addition to the PSC members, the session brought together African Union Member States, partners and the African civil society. This session focused on the connection between natural resources and armed conflicts in Africa.

While pointing out the African paradox, that of a continent with immense natural resources, but experiencing poverty and wide disparities, the session outlined the history of conflicts and the role of multinationals in financing such conflicts and the exploitation of natural resources by rebel groups in conflict zones.

The persistence of conflicts in Africa at large and in potentially rich countries, is evidence that the abundance of natural resources is not always synonymous with prosperity, growth and development. On the contrary!

This open session was an opportunity for Guinea to present its Government’s position on the issue. Guinea is a glaring example of this African paradox because it has significant potential of mineral resources. Guinea also availed itself of that opportunity to bank on its strong mining and mineral potential, and its geographical location to introduce its candidacy to host the African Minerals Development Center (AMDC).

Guinea, who has extensive experience in the mineral resources management is able to share its experience with other countries within the AMDC framework. Today, Guinea is in the process of reforming the legislative, regulatory, institutional and structural framework that is in line with the African mining vision.

To conclude, Guinea stressed the need for the African Union to support the member countries

in their legal endeavor to carry out the reforms undertaken to enable Africa to benefit from these immense natural resources.

Banking on its strong mining and mineral potential, and its geographical location to introduce its candidacy to host the African Minerals Development Center (AMDC).

Guinea also raised concerns about the preservation of the environment in the Peace and Security Council meetings during the indicated period. It is clear that the preservation of the environment is at the core of sustainable development. The majority of African countries, notably Eastern and Southern African States have suffered from the adverse effects of climate change caused by El Ninõ.

As concerns natural resource management issues, Guinea is at the center of a very important regional project for the integrated management of the Fouta-Djalon massif, which aims to establish a green belt to stop the spreading of the desert towards this heritage whose vocation as a water tower of West Africa has been repeatedly stated, as many international rivers take their source there.

Mobilization of the African Union in the fight against Ebola

The Ebola virus broke out in Guinea in late 2013. The ignorance of the virus which led to its rapid spread to other neighboring countries, strained

H.E. Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea during an Ebola screening test

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health services and caused the death of thousands of people. The epidemic was cause of panic at the international level.

President Alpha Condé, as current Chairman of the Mano River Union, convened the Mano River Summit with a view to adopting common measures to address the epidemic.

At the international level, the President of Guinea was bearer of the message of the affected countries to various forums and received the solidarity and support from the international community for the fight against Ebola. The epidemic has shaken the affected countries, and its negative impact continues to weigh on their economies (slowed economic activity, decreased productivity and growth, closed borders, suspended air flights and indiscriminately stigmatized nationals of the affected countries).

At the Peace and Security Council, Guinea made an urgent appeal to the Member States to quickly act.

In the context of the fight against the Ebola virus epidemic, it should be recalled that the Peace and Security Council played a key role in mobilizing the continent to address this dreadful scourge. It was under the presidency of Burundi that the issue of this serious epidemic was raised for the first time. The Peace and Security Council noted that the Ebola virus epidemic was a real threat to peace and security.

At that historic meeting, the PSC went on to authorize the immediate deployment of a humanitarian mission led by the African Union, including doctors, nurses and other medical and paramedical personnel, as well as military personnel, to ensure the effectiveness and protection of the mission.

Several other meetings were devoted to the fight against Ebola, and to the follow-up of the mission deployed in the three countries, namely Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

With the help of the international community and bilateral partners, countries affected by the Ebola outbreak were gradually declared Ebola-free.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission, in collaboration with the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank, organized an African private sector round table on Ebola in November 2015. The Round Table brought together players of the African private sector. The first of its kind, this meeting raised awareness on the role the private sector must play in addressing humanitarian crises like the Ebola epidemic. It is worth noting the fact that the private sector was able to mobilize in a single day, the sum US $ 32 million.

As part of the post-Ebola recovery and reconstruction, the African Union organized on 17 July 2015 in Equatorial Guinea, an International Conference of Solidarity for Ebola-affected countries on the theme “Africa helping Africans”.

A number of decisions were taken to allow Africa to face this kind of epidemic on the continent, including the establishment of an African Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC). The planned inauguration of this center on 30 January 2017 in Addis Ababa is to be commended. The center and sub-regional centers will help Africa respond rapidly to epidemics on the continent.

H.E. Mrs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, AUC Chairperson during a meeting on Ebola outbreak

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KEY AFRICAN ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED by President Alpha Condé

The Common African Position on Post-2015 Agenda

Pursuant to AU Assembly Decision (Assembly/Au/Dec.475 of May 2013), a high level Committee with Heads of State and

Government responsible for sensitizing African leaders, coordinating their actions and building regional and intercontinental alliances around Africa’s priorities, was put in place. This Committee,

chaired by H.E. Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, was made up of 10 members, including President Alpha Condé, representing the West African region.

This decision was a response to the needs for Africans to participate in the setting of the Global Development Agenda.

…. The Africa We Want

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Composition of the Committee :

• H.E. Mohamed Abdel Aziz, President of the Republic of Mauritania, Chairman of the African Union;

• H.E. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People’s Republic of Algeria;

• H.E. Idriss Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad;

• H.E. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo;

• H.E. Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea;

• H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia;

• H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;

• H.E. Hilikejunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia;

• H.E. Nauvinchandra Ramgoalam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius;

• H.E. Jacob Zuma, President de la Republic of South Africa.

The process allowed for consultations across the continent. It also made it possible to involve women, young people, the private sector and the civil society in assessing Africa’s post-2015 priorities.

This participatory approach not only made it possible to draw lessons from the absence of Africa in the process of identifying its own priorities during the development of the Millennium Development Goals, but it also took stock of the progress made by countries with regard to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

The evaluation has shown that despite progress in some areas such as primary school enrollment, gender equality in primary education,

representation in the decision-making process, immunization coverage, the downward trend in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, much remains to be done as regards poverty alleviation. Inequalities exist within groups and among countries in terms of progress made towards set targets.

A Committee of Personal Representatives of Heads of State has been established and has participated in all meetings in the context of the African Common Position.

The African Common Position on the Post-2015 Agenda was elaborated thanks to the support of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the AU Economic Affairs Department.

This Common African Position is based on the following six (6) pillars in response to the aspirations of the African peoples:

• Structural economic transformation and inclusive growth;

• Science, technology and innovation;

• People-centered development;

• Environmental sustainability, natural resource and disaster risk management;

• Peace and security;

• Finance and Partnership.

The Chairperson of the High Level Panel in charge of developing the Common African Position on the Post-2015 Agenda, H.E. Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, presented the Common Position to the Special Summit of the Committee which took place in Chad in February 2015.

Be it in Monrovia, Addis Ababa, N’Djamena or New York, Guinea participated in all meetings and contributed to their outcomes.

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Upon his accession to power in December 2010, the President of the Republic of Guinea made the electrification of his country a priority. Indeed, since Africa’s energy deficit does not favor industrialization and the structural transformation of the continent, and given its impact on several sectors of its economy, the opportunities missed in terms of investment and economic development, the President of the Republic of Guinea decided to make it an extended priority to his country and to Africa as a whole. According to statistics provided by the World Bank, more than 75% of the African population does not have access to electricity, while 81% depends on traditional solid biomass fuels.

African initiatives on renewable energies

Per capita levels of electricity consumption are much lower (535.7 KWh/h) than the world average of 3044.4 KWh per capita. These challenges, in terms of electrification of the continent, have made the President of Guinea to be the first to commit his country to seek to control water and energy. In this context, H.E. Professor Alpha Condé has launched an extensive electrification program in the country. This political will explains its determination to mobilize the international community for the electrification of the continent. Taking up his pilgrim’s staff, his contribution was noticeable at the launch of the Africa Renewable

(left to right) H.E. Mr Ian Khama (Bostwana), H.E. Mrs Segolene Royal (France), H.E. Professor Alpha Condé (Guinea), H.E. Mr Akinwumi Adésina (AfDB)

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Energy Initiative (AREI) by African Heads of State and Government on 1 December 2015 in Paris at the COP21 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “The initiative is an African initiative, a transformation initiative led by Africa that seeks to exploit Africa’s enormous renewable energy potential for universal access and sustainable development”. He said. The Republic of Guinea is also conversant with the adequacy of energy production and preservation of the environment. It is clear that Africa is a lower emitter of greenhouse gases, which however suffers the negative impact of climate change. In accordance with the Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.603 (XXVI) Rev.1, the President of the Republic of Guinea, Professor Alpha Condé was appointed Coordinator of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative during the 27th Assembly of the African Union held in January 2016. This initiative is crucial for the domestication of the enormous potential of renewable energy throughout the continent in a context of sustainable development and climate change.The Initiative has two main objectives:

• Universal access to significant amounts of energy;

• Assisting African countries to skip important steps in order to access renewable energy systems that can support low-carbon development strategies.

An action plan that presents the different phases was outlined at the Johannesburg Summit. These are:

• Phase 1 (2015-2016) of the immediate deployment; the priority at this stage being to achieve at least 10GW of additional production;

• Phase 2 (2020-2030) to increase by at least 300GW of additional energy capacity from renewable energy sources.

The 27th Session of the Conference held in Kigali discussed the governing structure and

the implementation of the Initiative. Under the leadership of H.E. Professor Alpha Condé, a meeting was organized by the AU Commission and the African Development Bank aling with the Co-leader of AREI in New York, on the sidelines of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. This meeting provided an opportunity to review the history of the Initiative and to bring partners to reaffirm their commitment to financially and technically support this initiative.Another meeting was held in Conakry in October 2016. It focused on the governance and management of the Initiative. The Coordinator of the Initiative, the AU Commission and the African Development Bank, agreed on the establishment of the Board of Administrators. The Board will be composed of nine (9) members including seven (7) African and two (2) non-African.The establishment of a High-level Technical Committee has been approved along with an independent Implementation Unit, which will be accountable to the Board of Administrators. A Trustee whose main function is to manage funds and investments and to receive projects from African countries has been assigned.The challenges facing Africa in the domestication of the potential of renewable energy is the appropriation of the Initiative by the Member States and their ability to absorb the first funding pledged by the European Union.

H.E. Professor Alpha Condé (Guinea) with H.E. Mrs Segolene Royal (France) during the COP22

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Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea is aware of the challenges Africa must face. He wants to reassure that,

during his tenure as Chairman of the African Union, Guinea will remain at the service of Africa. Guinea reaffirms that Africa is endowed with many assets, in particular its natural and human resources, which warrant its emergence by 2063, in line with its Development Agenda. As such, the implementation of Agenda 2063, “The Africa we want” will remain a priority in his action.

The Republic of Guinea makes no mystery of its ambition to contribute to the reform of the AU Commission and how to greatly improve in the management of the affairs. In this context, its main lines of action will include:

Future prospects for the African Union

1. Structural and functional reform of the Organization:

Guinea fully supports the proposed reform of the Organization and is even of the opinion that anticipatory measures should be taken to speed up its conduct and implementation. It intends to request the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and the AU Commission to thoroughly review their working methods and to become more acquainted with the details of their respective mandates. It would like to convey the same message to the Executive Council and to give new impetus to the activities of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Its objective is to encourage African leaders to better clarify the purpose and role of the AU in the management of

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African affairs and to effectively engage in directing and prioritizing the activities of the Organization. In this light, it is determined to bequeath to its future successor at the helm of the AU, a more rigorous Institution where the main actors carry out their activities in strict compliance with their respective mandates. Given the pivotal role the AU Commission plays in the monitoring and management of the Union‘s affairs, he strongly hopes that its peers would without delay find a common ground for the selection of the AUC leadership. It is regrettable that the Decision on the revision of the modalities for the election of members of the Commission adopted in 2014 has not been implemented in due course.

2. Reforming the Peace and Security Council:

This happens to be one of the main area of focus during the term of Guinea, as the country itself was at the center of discussions on the security in regions in crises and conflict zones. This reform is just as crucial as it impacts the image and credibility of the Organization. It is central insofar as some crises sometimes emanate from political decisions taken unilaterally.

Professor Alpha Condé is convinced that no reform can improve working methods, impact the Union’s activities or even put some order in its institutional architecture if:

• Member States, through the decision-making bodies set up do not actually take responsibility of the management of the Union’s affairs;

• The status, role and powers of the Union are not clearly defined;

• The attitudes of Officials of Member States, elected representatives of the Union and implementing agencies do not undergo a complete overhaul; and lastly,

• If the African civil society does not wake up to demand from their Union concrete results that uplift the African people’s livelihoods.

3. Consolidating the People’s Health Agenda:

From the Ebola outbreak to the Africa CDC, Guinea is totally committed to the implementation of concrete measures to ensure the health of African peoples, which remains a top priority in Agenda 2063.

4. Implementing the vision of Africa on the Demographic Dividend:

The need to harness the Demographic Dividend emerged for the first time in the Common African Position on the Post-2015 Agenda, a process in which the Republic of Guinea has made a strong contribution. In October 2016 in Conakry, President Alpha Condé officially launched on behalf of Africa, the UNFPA 2016 report on the State of the world’s population. This report devoted to young girls and boys aged 10 years reflects the investments to be put in place in order to take advantage of the demographic dividend in the decades to come. It is in this spirit and with a great sense of responsibility that Guinea would like to note with satisfaction that its term at the helm of the AU is in line with the theme of the year : “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth”. He hereby reiterates its commitment to pull together and spur energies among all stakeholders and Member States in particular, so that the implementation of the theme of the year and its roadmap will forever change the fate of the continent’s youth.

5. The realization of Agenda 2063:

The aspiration number 2 of Agenda 2063 is very dear to President Condé as it suggests an “integrated continent, politically united, based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance”. By 2063, progress is expected in the infrastructure

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development area. These prerequisites are essential to support the accelerated integration and growth of Africa, technological transformation, trade and development, including: high-speed rail networks, roads, shipping lines, maritime transport and air transport, as well as well-developed ICTs and the digital economy. Guinea’s leadership has enabled a High-Level Committee to define a Common African Position on Agenda 2030, while ensuring that it does not supersede Agenda 2063. It will therefore mean ensuring the implementation of this development program for Africa.

6. Redefining an international partnership:

The win-win approach is indeed the guarantee of a powerful and united Africa in the global arena. The AU, with its 16 to 18 partnerships among whom the world’s most influential players (European Union, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, United States of America, Southern America States, Arab States, etc.) must take full advantage of these partnerships, both politically, economically and commercially. Guinea approves this move and will support the subsequent initiatives.

7. Strengthening the operationalization of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative:

This is an opportunity for H.E. Professor Alpha Condé to lead the entire continent to a future where renewable energies are accessible to all. At the end of his term President Condé would like to be able to arouse in pioneer countries the increase in the production, the control and distribution of the energy in Africa in order to encourage and meet the demand of the medium-sized industries and manufacturers as well as for the comfort of urban and rural populations. Sober or neutral carbon development strategies will guarantee sustainable development in Africa. The operationalization of the Initiative will begin with country ownership of the guiding principles and then with a coordinated approach.

8. Mastery and control of mining in accordance with the AU mining vision:

It is possible to maximize profits from minerals extracted from African soils and subsoils. It is possible to conclude beneficial contracts with the multinationals exploiting African resources. The African mining vision, which is a framework instrument that aims to use Africa’s natural resources to transform the commodity-based economy into an industrial economy, is still to draw the desired attention of African States. This vision reminded us that the additional cent levied on mining is a significant contribution to financing the development of African countries. If Guinea, Niger and Mali can be praised for having set an example by initiating reforms in their mining sector, this good practice will find a favorable interest during the Guinean Chairmanship at the helm of the AU.

9. Consolidating the achievements and reasserting the ideal of Pan-Africanism:

The vision of the founding fathers was to build a united Africa totally freed from external influences, an Africa that speaks in one voice and collectively defends its interests. Building this Africa, owned by its own sons and daughters, is today a concern for all, especially for African leaders.

Focusing his attention on the above key areas does not at all mean that President Alpha Condé will disregard other imperatives of the Organization, in particular the unavoidable reform, which is a sine qua non condition for Africa’s take-off.

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