Madagascar, barred from the African Union (AU) inauguration summit last year because of doubts over the legitimacy of its president, has been re-admitted, AU president Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday.
The giant southern African island nation was barred last July because the AU judged the change of government that brought President Marc Ravalomanana to power to have been unconstitutional.
”They’ve agreed to lift the suspension of Madagascar. Therefore I am very pleased to welcome (Madagascar President Marc) Ravalomanana back,” Mbeki said at the opening of the second AU summit in the Mozambican capital Maputo.
Ravalomanana did not have similar problems with the United Nations, leaving the AU out on a limb as the only organisation not to recognise his legitimacy.
Around 40 heads of state and prime ministers have gathered for the three-day event here, where Mozambican President Joachim Chissano will take over the revolving AU presidency from his South African counterpart, Thabo Mbeki.
The assembly is scheduled to elect a chairman and deputy chairman of the AU Commission, tasked with the day-to-day running of the organisation, in the course of the morning. – Sapa-AFP