President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left for Tripoli, Libya early yesterday morning to attend the African Union’s Special Summit on the Settlement of Conflicts in Africa, which, she said, “is aimed at finding ways to address peace and security issues on this crucial continent.”
The President boarded a chartered Philippine Air Lines flight PR-001 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at around 12:10 a.m. for the 14-hour flight that would take her and her lean contingent to the capital city of Libya.
She was sent off by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado, Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Versoza and Libyan Charge d’Affaires Sadek Osman.
In a pre-departure statement, the President cited the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Africa, saying this has a direct impact “on our energy security, but more importantly, on the safety and welfare of our overseas Filipinos, including our seafarers.”
According to the President, the occurrence of pirate attacks, specifically off the coast of Somalia at the onset of the East African monsoon, has been a source of concern. She expressed confidence that “this is an issue where Africa’s collective efforts to bring stability and order to the affected areas will be crucial.”
The President recalled that since 1976 when “we formally established diplomatic relations with Libya, we have stood with the Libyan people and they have stood by us.”
“We helped bridge differences between Libya and others. While Libya helped us bring peace and hope to the Southern Philippines and build deeper ties with the Organization of the Islamic Conference,” she stressed.
She likewise said that Libya was instrumental to the conclusion of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and in the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between GRP and the Moro National Liberation Front.
In addition, the President emphasized that Libya “plays host to some 12,000 Filipino workers whose well being and protection my visit shall also advance.”
The President pointed out that the Philippines has taken an active role in joining the people of Libya in pursuing its attainment of peace by sending Filipino soldiers and police to assist the United Nations missions and peace-keeping operations in Africa.
“On our part, we are making important contributions to peace and stability on the African continent. We have 274 Filipino soldiers and police in different United Nations missions and operations in Africa,” the President declared.
“They are helping bring and preserve peace and are a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our men and women in uniform. They are our nation’s investment in global peace,” she added.
The 53-member African Union is the premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the African continent. Libya is the chair of the organization.
Aside from attending the summit, the President will join the people of Libya in commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Great Al Fateh Revolution which will be held on Tuesday (September 1).
The President noted that she joins “a select group of global leaders upon the invitation of Libya’s Col. Muammar Qaddafi to attend the 40th Anniversary of the Great Al Fateh Revolution.”
“In the 40 years since Libya’s Great Al Fateh Revolution, much has happened to transform Libya into the nation that it is today – a nation eager to engage all others, a nation that has set aside its difference with others to bring greater harmony to global relations,” the President said.
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