Construction of New AU Conference Center Officially Begins
African Union's new Head Office to be built in Addis Ababa,
expected to take three years.
13 November, 2008
Addis Ababa, 10 November 2008 (AU) - To the sound of horns, the revving of engines by the assembled construction vehicles and much applause from the delegates, the start of the construction of the new African Union Conference Center in Addis Ababa, was officially declared today by Mr. Wu Bangguo, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
Mr. Wu was in Addis Ababa to mark the start of the construction of the Conference center and 25 storey office block which will provide much needed working space and conference facilities for the African Union. His two pronged trip also included an official visit to Ethiopia.
The conference center complex will house a 2 500 capacity conference hall, 500 offices, a medium sized conference hall, meeting rooms, 30 caucus rooms, a 3000 capacity multipurpose hall, an amphitheatre with 3000 seats, a digital archive center and library, a medical center and numerous public spaces, among other features.
At the ceremony to mark the occasion, AU Commission Chairperson Mr. Jean Ping hailed the new construction as a symbol of the strong cooperation and friendship that exists between Africa and China. He said African leaders have long cherished the idea of having a facility that can accommodate the needs of the African Union, and which befits the organisation’s status. The gift from the Chinese government comes at an opportune time, he added, when the Commission needs more space. Mr. Ping thanked Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, the government of Ethiopia and different government departments for facilitating the construction of the center through the provision of land and other services. He also expressed his gratitude to the former Chairperson of the AU Commission, Professor Alpha Oumar Konare, who initiated the process with the Ethiopian and Chinese authorities. The idea of the construction was first discussed 3 years ago.
In his speech, the visiting Chinese leader, Mr. Wu Bangguo expressed his country’s great appreciation for the support Africa has given to his country on issues as varied as Taiwan, Tibet, the Olympics, China’s position in the United Nations and the recent devastating earthquake. He recalled the historic Africa- China Summit which was held in November 2006, and said it strengthened the partnership, friendship and cooperation between Africa and China. To date, he said China has development projects in 53 African countries.
According to the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mr. Erastus Mwencha, the design of the complex, which includes historical aspects of African culture and tradition, was presented to the AU Heads of State Summit in 2007. The foundation stone for the new conference center was laid in the same year. Construction is expected to take three years and, to facilitate the work, the AU has set up structures that will ensure smooth progress.
Earlier in the day, the AU Commission headed by Mr. Jean Ping had held a closed meeting with the Chinese delegation, headed by Mr. Bangguo, at which the two leaders exchanged gifts. Apart from the new construction, the two leaders also discussed the current global financial crisis and China’s assistance to Africa in this difficult time; the need for Africa’s voice to be heard in international forums such as the G20; and cooperation in the areas of peace, security and development.