Kibaki Heads to Equatorial Guinea for AU Summit

Nairobi — President Kibaki has left the country for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea to attend the African Union summit that opens on Thursday.
The summit, whose theme is "Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development", is geared towards providing better environment and skills for African youths to excel and contribute meaningfully to peace and security, socio-economic growth and sustainable development of the continent.

During the Summit, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union are expected to ratify the African Youth Charter and endorse the implementation of the medium term priorities in the plan of action for the African Youth Decade.

In Kenya, the main policy documents on Youth include the Kenya National Youth Policy 2007 and the 'Youth Employment Marshal Plan' which are aligned to the country's development blueprint, Vision 2030.

Kenya, which is a signatory to the African Youth Charter, is establishing Youth Empowerment Centres in all the Constituencies. Already 104 such centres are ready for youth to access ICT, recreational facilities, counselling and health and training in creative arts.

Alongside the official theme of the summit, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union will also consider and discuss the report of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on its activities in Africa.
The PSC, which Kenya is a founding member, is a standing decision-making organ for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts Africa. It is also a collective and early warning arrangement to facilitate timely and efficient response to conflicts and various crisis situations in the continent.
The President is accompanied by among others Internal Security minister who is acting Foreign Affairs minister George Saitoti
Earlier, President Kibaki applauded efforts by the Church on conflict resolution and humanitarian assistance.The President cited the conflict cases in Somalia and Sudan as examples where the Church was helping thousands of people suffering as result of conflicts.
Appreciating that the Church does not have all the means for conflict resolution, President Kibaki urged members of the clergy to be steadfast agents of justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The President stressed that in addition to keeping the flock on the right path, the Church must maintain its frontline role of promoting peace in the region and other parts of the world.
He was speaking during the official opening of the 17th Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) plenary assembly at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi."As spiritual leaders in our society, you shoulder the responsibility of pointing the right way forward, correcting us when we go wrong and ensuring that we remain God fearing men and women," said President Kibaki.
The President thanked the Church within the AMECEA region for its role in promoting development and the material wellbeing of the people through establishment and management of health facilities, schools, colleges, universities and employment generating projects.
"As we all appreciate, the physical well being of individuals is part of the higher ideal of spiritual development. I, therefore, encourage Churches in the AMECEA region to continue and even upscale their role in development."The AMECEA chairman who is the Archbishop of Blantyre, Malawi, his Grace T G Ziyaye thanked President Kibaki and the people of Kenya for creating an enabling environment for AMECEA institutions to operate smoothly in Kenya.
Archbishop Ziyaye said the Association had made it possible to build and nurture partnerships through mutual trust to further the common good of the people and enhance solidarity.
In his remarks, the chairman of Kenya Episcopal Conference John Cardinal Njue said the AMECEA Plenary Assembly was being held in Kenya for the sixth time.
The AMECEA brings together Catholic Cardinals, Bishops and other delegates from eight countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, the Sudan, Malawi and Eritrea.
In attendance were Pope's representative in Kenya Archbishop Alain Paul Lebeaupin, and senior Kenya government officials.