African FMs conclude AU meeting, tackle development issues

African foreign ministers concluded the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) on Thursday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, after deliberating on critical issues to advance Africa's political, economic, and social development.

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- African foreign ministers concluded the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) on Thursday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, after deliberating on critical issues to advance Africa's political, economic, and social development.

The two-day session, comprising foreign ministers from AU members, was held under the AU's theme for 2025: "Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations." The meeting, among other things, conducted elections and appointments for key positions within the AU structure.

Addressing the closing session on Thursday evening, Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Mauritania's minister of foreign affairs and chairperson of the AU Executive Council for 2024, said the ministerial meeting was "successful," during which the foreign ministers discussed Africa's development prospects and the challenges hindering greater integration and prosperity.

The meeting also reviewed the draft agenda and decisions for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU, scheduled for Feb. 15-16.

Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, speaking at the opening session on Wednesday, said that recent initiatives have bolstered Africa's pursuit of continental integration, public health, and education, largely driven by the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He said that ongoing violent conflicts remain a pressing issue, particularly in Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, underscoring the urgent need to address security threats. ■