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afrol.com, 14 July - On yesterday's Council of Ministers, President Wade informed his Council of the results of the last OAU Conference and the contribution of Senegal to this significant meeting. Wade said he was pleased with the creation of the African Union, "which is a historical victory for Africa". President Wade reminded his audience of the heroic fights of a large number of Africans for the noble ideal of African unity and paid homage to their memory. The President of the Republic also paid homage to the OAU for its achievements during its thirty-seven years of existence, however not forgetting the difficulties remaining in resolving ongoing wars in Africa. The President, however underlined with satisfaction the role played by President Bouteflika of Algeria in bringing peace to Ethiopia and Eritrea. Evoking the difficulties as well as the long process which characterized the emergence of great unions in other places of the world, President Wade was pleased with the significant progress the creation of the African Union had made on the conference. In particular he emphasized the agreement on urging African states to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent in order to make Africa play the role it should play in world economy and in international negotiations. President Wade gave instructions to carry out a broad media campaign, presenting the ideas of the African Union. He urged for an initiative in profound debates within the political establishment of the country, in civil society, in trade unions, among the intellectuals and people in general. Deepening his address to the intellectual society, the President informed the Council of the decision of the OAU to arrange the 2nd Conference of African Intellectuals, a follow-up of an equal conference organized in 1992. The objective of this new conference is to enhance the contribution of African intellectuals in the making of the African Union, in terms of gaining specific and practical proposals. The leader of the Libyan Arab Revolution, Muammar El Ghadafi, had offered to arrange this international conference in his country. - In Senegal, the national coordination of intellectuals should be made more dynamic in order to assure the contribution of our country to this conference, Wade stated. President Wade then revealed his decision to create an African Institute of History in Senegal. Describing the project, he informed the Council that he already was working closely with Professor Iba der Thiam. It was made a decision, that distinguished historians from all over Africa and beyond should be invited to Dakar to assess the project and contribute to its establishment.
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