The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, AU, Moussa Faki has pledged support for President Buhari’s fight against corruption in Nigeria.
At a meeting with Nigerian officials at the State House on Thursday, Faki said it was not by chance that the Assembly of Heads of States chose President Buhari as the Champion of Anti-Corruption.
“His fight against corruption is not only a one-off or a programme that is to be implemented over one year only, but one needs time and therefore we are very happy to work with him, with his leadership and his actions,” the AU Commission Chairperson, who spoke through an interpreter said.
He said African leaders know President Buhari’s integrity and that he is ‘an example to be emulated’.
Peace and Security
On the issue of peace and security in Africa, Faki called for the strengthening of the Peace and Security Council of the AU, noting that countries in other continents of world were not given attention to peace and security on the continent.
He acknowledged Nigeria’s role in peace and security in Africa, recalling that he visited Nigeria more than 10 times when he was working on the establishment of the multi-national task force to fight the Boko Haram insurgents.
“I know what Nigeria has done, the troops it has sacrificed, the efforts it has made to ensure peace in the region and the continent.
“I know the involvement of Nigeria in establishing peace and security on the continent and also in the ECOWAS region.
“Recently, I was in the Guinea Bissau and I know what Nigeria did, and is still doing for that country. What it is doing for Togo, what it is doing for the region, as well as the continent.
“I told my brother when I came down from the plane about the census in Guinea Bissau and that the role of Nigeria is highly appreciated on the continent,” he said.
According to Mr. Faki, the AU Agenda 2063, which is now on the table of the continental body, focuses on three themes that are critical to peace and security, economic integration and the reform of the African Union.
“One is peace and security to make sure that we silence the guns by 2020.
“The other aspect is the economic integration of the continent; important decisions have been adopted and at the beginning of this year, the African Union adopted the Continental Free Trade Area, the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the African passport and the single African air transport market.
“The third is the reform of the African Union and in January 2017 when I was elected as the Chairperson of the Commission, the decision was taken on the reform of the African Union,” Faki explained.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama described the AU’s Agenda 2063 as “a roadmap for African integration that includes peace and security and development agenda.
“It is also a roadmap that realises that for us to achieve the Africa of our dream with the AU as the driving force, the AU Secretariat itself also has to be fit for the purpose.
Reform agenda
“In addition to the roadmap, there is also an on-going reform agenda of the secretariat.
Onyema said that for the AU to succeed in all these, the 55 member states must support and key into the roadmap.
He said the presence of the AU Commission Chairperson in Nigeria provided an opportunity for the country to interrogate the reform process and the Agenda 2063 itself.
Moussa Faki is on a two-day visit to Nigeria.
He will meet with President Buhari on Friday.