The 9/9/99 Sirte Declaration on creation of AU hailed in Libya as major step towards African unification
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - On its 26th anniversary, the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity said here Tuesday that the Declaration of Foundation of the African Union (AU) in Sirte on 9 September 1999 was a first political step that marked an important turning point towards the unification of African positions.
It also marked the formulation of common policies and the construction of continental structures capable of adapting to the challenges of the 21st century. and constituted a first political step and an important turning point towards the unification of African positions and formulation of common policies and the construction of continental structures capable of adapting to international changes.
The ministry added in a statement that Libya commemorates the annual day of the founding of the Union, the founding of the African Union, which marked a qualitative turning point in the concerns of the peoples of the continent.
He said the Sirte Declaration also paved the way for in-depth reflection on the definition of priorities, the establishment of institutional structures, the establishment of a peace and security system, and the establishment of the legal framework necessary for the requirements of the next phase.
The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Unity said the founding declaration of the African Union, delivered in Sirte on 9 September 1999, was not only a document of visions and perceptions, but also gave rise to the aspirations of the African peoples, embodied in common positions, a clear development programme and the strengthening of partnerships with regional economic groups.
In its document, the Libyan Ministry added: ‘Today, the Union derives its existence from the accumulation of efforts made and continues to unify continental action, based on a genuine desire to strengthen cooperation and coordination in the various security, political, economic and social dimensions, while preserving Africa's uniqueness and common foundations.’
The Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the unification of positions and joint action within the African Union "constitute a fundamental guarantee for the continent to achieve its historic rights, including its status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
In this context, the Libyan State, through its membership of the African Union Committee on Security Council Reform, affirms its full support for the rights and achievements of the continent".
It also expressed its support for the African Union's efforts to implement the 2025 Initiative for Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through reparations, a crucial issue aimed at redressing the historical injustices of the colonial period.
The Libyan Ministry stressed that restoring the material and moral rights of the peoples of the continent was a historical right that required reparations and rehabilitation to redress the harm suffered by the continent during that period.
It stated that it will continue to support the Union's efforts to achieve African unity and address continental challenges from an African perspective, particularly in the areas of development, finding African solutions to African problems, and resolving urgent issues such as illegal migration by addressing the root causes in the countries of origin.
9 September 1999 marks the date of the declaration of the creation of the African Union (AU) in Sirte, central Libya, leading to the Constitutive Act of the African Union on 12 July 2000.
It took a year to set up the organs of the African Union and for the African Union to definitively succeed the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.
-0- PANA BY/IS/BBA/RA 9Sept2025
