AU summit addresses social, economic inadequacies

RABAT, July 1 (KUNA) -- President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz asked on Sunday African leaders in Nouakchott to address social and economic inadequacies in order to protect the youth from extremism and divergence.
"Africa faces many security challenges such as terrorism, radicalism and drug dealing," said the Mauritanian president in the opening statement of the 31st AU (African Union) summit.
He considered those challenges to be obstacles facing sustainable development, and to coordinate efforts among African countries to overcome such challenges.
For his part, Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit valued the ongoing partnership between the League and the Union, noting that both organizations face similar challenges, which requires maximum efforts to be exerted to face them. He also affirmed the League's support for the Union in providing peace and security in the continent and achieving economic and social integration.
The summit's agenda includes discussions on fighting corruption, institutional reform and the establishment of a continental free trade zone.
The two-day summit will also discuss defusing crises of African countries, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean until 2026 and achieving the 2063 African agenda. (end) jk.bb