Addis ababa: The African Union (AU) on Sunday called for granting the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations and for declaring an urgent humanitarian truce in Sudan.
According to Kuwait News Agency, this came in the final statement of the African Summit, which began late Saturday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The statement stressed that granting Palestine full UN membership is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to end the occupation.
The statement also firmly rejected any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people to Egypt or Jordan, describing such moves as a grave violation of international law.
African leaders further urged the establishment of an immediate humanitarian truce in Sudan to pave the way for a comprehensive nationwide ceasefire while emphasizing the need to launch an inclusive Sudanese dialogue aimed at reaching a sustainable political settlement.
On Saturday, as the AU summit opened, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye took over the chairmanship from Angolan President Joao Lourenco at the AU headquarters.
On the occasion, the new chair highlighted water and sanitation as top priorities, noting that more than 400 million Africans lack access to safe drinking water and over 700 million are deprived of adequate sanitation services. He also underscored peace, security, and development as key priorities, alongside efforts to find solutions to the crises facing several African countries.