GRi Arts & Culture 05 - 08 - 2003

African Union of Traditional Leaders proposed

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 5 August 2003 - Traditional leaders from four African countries have proposed the formation of continental union of Africa Traditional leaders to help solve some of the problems facing the continent.

This is contained a communiqué adopted at the end of their three-day conference in Kumasi, as part of activities marking the PANAFEST celebrations.

The traditional leaders are from South Africa, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria. According to the communiqué, which was read by Inkosi Mpiyezintombi Mzimela, Chairperson of the South Africa National House of Traditional Leaders, the formation of the union would create a common platform for the leaders to interact and express their views on socio-political matters affecting the continent of Africa.

It would also give counselling and assist African political leaders to promote good governance in member states to enhance peace, unity, stability and equitable development.

The communiqué said the continental traditions union would strengthen traditional governance institutions and give it the capacity to undertake internal reforms, customary law review and codifying the customary laws of Africa.

It said the union would initiate action to protect the environment and to advise on the inequitable exploitation of the natural resources to the detriment of Africa and further initiate collective action to preserve, protect and promote the histories, culture, tangible and intangible heritage of African societies.

The communiqué authorised the formation of a technical committee to develop a strategy of action and to promote the ideals, objectives and decisions contained in the communiqué. It said the leaders would lobby their respective governments to put in place laws that gave back people with African decent in the Diaspora, the right to citizenship in the land from which their forebears were forcibly removed.

The communiqué pledged the support of African traditional leaders in achieving good governance in Africa as well as economic development within the institutional framework of the Africa Union and possibly the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
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