The first African Union (AU) summit in two years began on Saturday with demands that the continental body get a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
AU, which was created 20 years ago to promote better collaboration Continenthas been meeting for more than two days in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to discuss Recent coups and attempts to seize power, are also in discussion coronavirus pandemicislamic extremism, Climate changeand ongoing conflicts, such as the conflict in the Tigre region of Ethiopia.
In his inaugural address, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for the African Union to have a more important voice in the United Nations’ International Organization for Peace and Security. Abiy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 before escalating an armed conflict with the Tigre rebels in 2019, serves as the host of the summit.
“Today, more than seven decades after the creation of the United Nations, Africa remains a junior participant without a meaningful input or role within the system of international governance,” Abiy said at the start of the pandemic-delayed talks.
The United States, Russia, China, Britain and France all have permanent seats on the Security Council, meaning they can veto any draft resolution.
UN renews petition for ceasefire in Tigre
Ethiopian conflict between Tigre rebels and Abi’s forces Attendance was also high on the agenda for most countries. The war that began in November 2020 attracted outside participation, created a dire humanitarian situation and threatened stability across the region.
In a video address, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Renewed his petition for a ceasefire in Ethiopia. He also called on the warring sides to allow entry humanitarian aid,
Another major concern was the outbreak of coup d’état on governments in Africa, including Burkina Faso, Chad, Sudan and Guinea. A coup attempt was made in Guinea Bissau this week but ultimately failed.
AU President Moussa Faki Mahamat called the trend “a disaster”.
The bloc has suspended Burkina Faso and Sudan in the wake of the military takeover.
The AU president said the security situation calls for “more proactive intra-African solidarity”.
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Shannon Abeda (Eritrea) – Alpine skiing
Abeda’s parents fled to Canada in the 1980s for Eritrea, where Abeda grew up. Like many young Canadians, he was a fan of ice hockey. But, because her parents thought the sport too dangerous, she turned to alpine skiing. Since 2011, Abeda has represented Eritrea in ski races, including at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, where he became the first Eritrean to compete at the Winter Olympics.
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Carlos Mader (Ghana) – Alpine skiing
Born in Ghana’s Cape Coast, Mader was adopted as a three-year-old by a family in Switzerland. At 43, she is the oldest competitor in the Beijing Olympics. Mäder has no coach and is going to the Olympics as a “one-man team”. his message? “In sports, it’s not just about winning. I want to show the youth that with the right attitude, you can achieve anything.”
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Mialiana Clerc (Madagascar) – alpine skiing
A French family living in the Alps adopted a 20-year-old boy as a young child. She learned to ski and now participates in European and World Cup events. Clerc aiming for his second Olympic Games after Pyeongchang? “I want to be considered one of the best skiers in the world and aim to achieve a top 40 finish.”
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Matthew Neumuller (Madagascar) – alpine skiing
Madagascar’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony is Matthew Neumüller. The 18-year-old son of a French father and Malagasy mother competes in slalom and giant slalom like a teammate and fellow Olympian Militiana Clerc. He’s targeting a top 30 finish. Skiing is in Nummüller’s blood: his father is a ski instructor.
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Samuel Ikpefan (Nigeria) – cross country skiing
The 30-year-old hails from the French Alps and is a former French junior sprint champion. After struggling to crack a crack at the steep French national team, Ikpefan nearly quit the sport before deciding to represent his father’s native Nigeria. “I am proud to represent an African nation at the Olympic Games,” he says.
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Beijing 2022: Africa’s winter athletes proud
Yasin Ouich (Morocco) – alpine skiing
Ouch lives in the Atlas Mountains of northern Morocco. At 1,650 meters (5,413 ft), his hometown of Ifran is close enough to the ski slopes that the 31-year-old can train from home. He is the eighth Moroccan athlete to compete in the Winter Olympic Games. His inspiration: “I promised my son I’d make it to the Olympics. So, I had to do it!”
Author Andreas Stein-Ziemons
JSI/DJ (DPA, Reuters)