An improved strategic partnership between Africa and the Arab world is urgently needed for checking the negative effects of globalization on the two blocs, President Umaru Musa Yar'adua said yesterday in Abuja.

Speaking while declaring open the 12th Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference, President Yar'adua said: "the nations of Africa and the Arab world share a number of cultural and socio-economic similarities and common peculiarities. In the face of the emerging realities in our rapidly changing globalized world, it is vitally essential for our two blocs to work towards achieving improved strategic partnership and productive cooperation in jointly addressing the manifestation of globalization and our peculiar development challenges."

He said closer ties between Africa and the Arab world would help the two blocs overcome the challenges posed the current global economic meltdown. He noted that the 12th Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference is taking place "at a most critical period when the international community is faced with the realities of the massive global economic downturn."

According to him, "there can be no more opportune time than now for us to vigorously pursue the imperative of more robust integration between Africa and the Arab world."

"It is very noteworthy and quite encouraging to witness the commitment of parliamentarians from our two blocs to seeking an effective roadmap towards collectively addressing such challenges as economic volatility, endemic poverty, corruption, HIV/AIDS, political instability, illiteracy, and gender imbalance, among others", he said.

He said Nigeria is committed to engendering a transparent political process founded on the fundamental principles of democracy, good governance and rule of law, selfless service, and free enterprise.

According to him, his government's strict adherence to the doctrine of separation of powers has seen the entrenchment of mutual respect, constructive engagement, and productive interdependence of the three arms of government in the service to the people.

Speaking earlier, Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole called on the conference to address the challenges posed by the economic meltdown through a synergy of ideas.

He urged the participants to work towards restoration of peace and stability in all the crisis areas in Arab and African countries, stressing that the Arab- Israeli conflict should be given priority attention.

The Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference was established in 1984 to bring together, representatives of Arab and African Parliaments aimed at strengthening political, cultural and socioeconomic relations between Arab and African countries. It presently has a 35-nation membership and Nigerian joined in 2007.

The conference is being attended by the speaker of the National Assembly of Uganda, Hon. Edward Ssekandi, who is also the executive chairman of the African Parliamentary Union as well as delegates from the 35 nations of the conference.

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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 22 April 2009 )