The African Economist Vol XXIV No

The African Economist Vol. XXIV No. 40 September 2005 NEWS

In Brief

Africa asks two permanent seats in the UN Security Council Addis Ababa, 8/4/2005 Heads of African States have asked for Africas representation with two permanent and five temporary seats in the United Nations Security Council.

African heads of states passed the resolution at the conclusion of the African Union (AU) fourth extra-ordinary summit called to deliberate on UN structural reform in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin told journalists at the conclusion of the Summit that consensus have been reached on Africa's representation in the Security Council.

The summit has asked for Africa's representation in the Security Council with five temporary and two permanent seats with a veto power.

Seyoum also said Africa is the only continent that does not currently have representation in the UN Security Council. Seyoum also indicated a 10-member committee has been set up by the summit that includes two member countries from the five African regions represented by Heads of States.

Contents

Africa Asks two permanent seats in the UN Security Council Addis Ababa, 8/4/2005

According to Seyoum, the Committee will hold discussions with representatives of other continents to promote Africa's position concerning UN's reform.

Differences between Cairo and Algeria over Arab summit

CAIRO, Egypt- the secretary general of the Arab league (AL) Amr Moussa admitted that there are differences between Egypt and Algeria over the urgent Arab summit due to be held on August 3 in Sharm el-Sheikh.

However, Amr Moussa considered in press statements that there is still plenty of time for contacts with Algeria, so that its President Abdul Aziz Butaflika will preside over the summit.

Sources in the AL stressed that Moussa and several Arab leaders are currently in intensive contacts with Butaflika to convince him on the summit. The Egyptian foreign minister Ahamd Abu al-Gheit expressed his regret over what was announced by the Algerian foreign Minister Abu Jarra Sultani the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak prepared for this summit in preparation to launch his domestic election campaign.

Abu al-Gheit said in a statement that his contacts made by Egypt to this effect proves the safe measures taken by the Arab League

for this summit, nothing that the Algerian minister of state might not have had enough information about contacts made between Cairo and officials in his country.

Abu al-Gheit added that he made contacts with his Algerian peer Abdul Aziz Balkhadem over the idea of the summit, stressing that the Algerian side stressed during the contacts readiness to take part in the summit at the highest level and the date and place agreed upon. Meantime, Chinese CCTV reported that the summit would be delayed as a result of the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd bin Abdul al-Aziz.

US lawmaker urges Ethiopian Opposition not to boycott parliament

The visiting US Congressman Christopher H. Smith urged Ethiopia’s opposition not to put into effect threats to boycott parliament in protest against alleged fraud in May general elections.

Congressman Smith said the opposition would be better off voicing its views within the parliamentary system than from outside.

However, according to a report by AFP, opposition party officials said they were disappointed by Smith’s calls for them to drop protests over alleged fraud, complaining the congressman did not understand the situation in Ethiopia.

“We have realized Congressman Smith had not been well informed of the situation,” AFP quoted Dr. Beyene Petros, vice chair of the opposition United Ethiopian Democratic Froces (UEDF) as saying.

“by implication, his message was asking us to join (Parliament) as the opposition with more seats than we had before and prepare ourselves for the next elections,” Dr. Beyene told AFP. He said Smith would convey the opposition’s concerns to Meles in follow-up meetings in the coming days.

It is to be recalled that Congressman Smith was reported to have said “Opposition parties can play a positive role by actively participating in debates and other mutual concerns of the country peacefully.”

“That is why multi-party or two-party systems are so good,” said Smith, the chairman of the House International Relations Committee’s panel of Africa and human rights.

South Africa launches mosquito repellent candle factory

PRETORIA, South Africa – a factory producing mosquito repellent candle factory was launched marking an innovation and scientific breakthrough to support the fight against malaria.

Deputy Minster of Science and Technology, Mr. Derek Hanekom, accompanied by the Premier Mr Sello Mol