Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi on Monday condemned the working of the African Union and called for the creation of a ”United States of Africa” at the forthcoming AU summit in Ghana.
”The OAU [Organisation of African Unity, predecessor of the AU] failed, the council of African ministers failed, the African Parliament is a rump Parliament,” he told a meeting of 50 000 people in a stadium in Conakry, Guinea.
Gadaffi is in the Guinean capital on his way to the AU summit in Accra, having driven in a convoy of several hundred vehicles via Mali from Libya.
He lamented the fact that ”in Africa we have not been able to create a government of union [nor] any instrument of union to bring about our aim.
”These instruments must be created in Accra, the voice of the people must be heard at last,” he added, claiming that the Accra summit will be ”different from all the others because today we are forced to listen to the masses”.
Gadaffi’s speech was carried live on national radio and television and Monday declared a public holiday by the government in honour of his visit.
”The masses of the people want roads, bridges, health, education, agriculture, water and electricity,” Gadaffi declared: ”How to bring that about?
”It is by creating large groupings, large spaces, large markets, because even Europe can only ensure its survival thanks to union.”
Gadaffi spoke for more than an hour, at one moment pointing a finger at the crowd and saying: ”I see in front of me young people who want to leave for Europe by transiting through Libya. Why do we want to go to Europe?
”We must decide to live and die in our countries … all that must stop, thanks to the creation of a United States of Africa.”
He was due to leave Conakry later in the day. — AFP
