ARTICLE - HAITI - MEMBER OF AFRICAN UNION

HAITI BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE AFRICAN UNION
(Haiti Libre) -

The Conference of Heads of State and Government of the African Union ended this morning in Addis Ababa, with the departure towards their respective countries of 54 heads of state, 2.500 delegates and 400 journalists from around the world, who have followed with interest the request of the Republic of Haiti for the position of member in the African Union. The head of the delegation of Haiti, Mr. Ady Jean Gardy, Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has the rank of Ambassador to Haiti, immediately obtained the status of Observer Member with the African Union, and submitted to that organization, a formal request for the status as a full Associate Member of the Union of Heads of State and Government of Africa; a status that will be effective from the next Union Summit next June in South Africa.

This is a first for the African Diaspora, believes the African Heads of States, who declared that Haiti took them in advance and by surprise, because no black country of the African diaspora has ever made such a request.

The Ambassador Ady Jean Gardy met the President of the Republic of Benin, Mr. Thomas Boni Yayi, following his election yesterday as head of the Presidency of the African Union, and took the opportunity to address the issue of Haitian students who are struggling in Benin. The new President of the Union promised to do what is necessary, as soon as he returned to Porto Novo, Benin's capital.

The Chief of Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ady Jean Gardy has distributed this morning before leaving Addis Ababa, a statement of Minister Laurent Lamothe, congratulating Mr. Boni Yayi for his election to the head of the African Union of Heads of State, his appeal for calm in Nigeria, and the Sahel in crisis; and his decision to find a solution for peace between Sudan and Southern Sudan, whose two Presidents were in Addis Ababa. Minister Laurent Lamothe noted in his note the interest of Haiti to participate alongside the African people in the peace negotiations and to promote economic development of LDCs (Least Developed Countries) through diplomacy business.

Mr. Ady Jean Gardy in a new press conference in Addis Ababa also reported the determination of Minister Lamothe, in accordance with instructions of the President of the Republic Michel Joseph Martelly, and the Prime Minister Gary Conille, to strengthen links with Africa. The Special Envoy Ady Jean Gardy also announced plans of Haiti to provide technical assistance to countries of the African Union to help them re-discuss with donors the idea of​ a debt cancellation, which is a real straightjacket for their development, and to break together the barriers preventing the raising of funds on global financial markets, for each debt cancellation.

Ambassador Ady Jean Gardy has also entered Haiti as a member of the Inter-Ministerial Conference Forum on Investment held between China and the countries of the African Union, to enable the country to benefit from programs for creating employment, and technological gifts as part of the business diplomacy.

The African Heads of State warmly applauded the arrival of Haiti into the African Union, referring to the diplomatic efforts conducted since 1945 by Haiti for the creation of African States, Haitian protests against the invasion of Ethiopia by Italy, the struggles conducted against the war of Algeria, the support for the independence of Libya and the assistance of Haiti to the RDA (African Democratic Rally), who realized at once the decolonization across Africa in the sixties.

Mr. Ady Jean Gardy, Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to be able to 'impose' the presence of Haiti to the African Union, which replaced the Organization of African Unity in 1963. He announced to the Heads of State a possible tour of the President of the Republic Michel Joseph Martelly, and Foreign Minister of Haiti, Laurent Lamothe, during this summer throughout Africa.