Agreement for New AU Conference Centre

(Destin de l’Afrique)--The Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Erastus Mwencha and the Deputy Manager of the China State Construction Engineering Corporation, Mr. Wang Jie, yesterday, 24 September 2008, signed a contract agreement for the construction of the African Union Conference Centre.

The signing ceremony at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, took place in the presence of some high officials of the African Union and a thirteen-man Chinese delegation, led by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Addis Ababa, GU Xiao Jie, who came to witness the historical event.

According to the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, the signing ceremony of the construction of the new African Union Conference Centre, in the near future, is an exciting moment and a time to reflect on the existing friendship between China and the AU. ‘It is a significant step to realise the project’, Mr. Mwencha emphasised, while thanking the Chinese Government for their commitment to ensure the effective implementation of the project.

He further expressed on behalf of the Chairperson of the Commission, H.E. Jean Ping, the satisfaction and commitment of the AU to work hand in hand with the Chinese delegation in facilitating and ensuring the realisation of the project within the deadline. ‘We need to work together in order to raise the living standard of both the Chinese and African populations’, Mr. Mwencha noted.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairperson announced that a high level Chinese delegation would arrive at the African Union on 7 November 2008, for the actual groundbreaking ceremony of the construction of the Conference Centre.

The Chinese Ambassador, H.E. GU Xiao Jie, on his part, lauded the African Union for the great initiative and congratulated them for the successful signing ceremony and the ‘historical achievement’. He said the construction of the AU Conference Centre will be another milestone in the relation between China and Africa as well as China and the African Union Commission’.

Ambassador GU Xiao Jie further explained that, this project comes as a result of the promise made some two years ago, during the Beijing Sino-African Summit, by the President of the People’s Republic of China. This, he said, shows China’s relentless commitment and support for the African Union in its effort to maintain peace and stability as well as promote cooperation and integration within the African continent. ‘The construction of the new AU Conference Centre falls in line with the African Union’s objective to strengthen its institutional building process’ he highlighted.

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