STORY: 37th AU summit begins in Addis Ababa with focus on education, development
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 17, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 18, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:25
LOCATION: Addis Ababa
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of the Heads of State and Government
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English interpretation): AZALI ASSOUMANI, President of Comoros and Chairperson of AU
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English interpretation): MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT, Chairperson of AU Commission
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ABIY AHMED, Ethiopian Prime Minister

STORYLINE:

The 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of the Heads of State and Government opened on Saturday, with a call to increase efforts to improve the state of education in Africa and fast-track the realization of Africa's development endeavors.

The two-day meeting, comprising African leaders from AU member states, is held under the AU's theme of the year for 2024, "Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in Africa" at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
   
As Africa puts a spotlight on education in 2024, the summit convened on how to enhance education and skills to meet the continental vision and market needs, and further deliberated on the progress, challenges and prospects of Africa's overall development.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English interpretation): AZALI ASSOUMANI, President of Comoros and Chairperson of AU
"With particular interest for the promotion and preservation of peace and security on our dear continent, this shared security concern has guided all our activities during our term and convinced us that the peacefulness of our continent remains the very basis of realizing our vision by 2063 for a united and prosperous Africa."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English interpretation): MOUSSA FAKI MAHAMAT, Chairperson of AU Commission
"Our main challenges have not diminished in importance. Peace, political and institutional instability, climate change, deficits in economic governance, integration, poverty, marginalization of women and youths in development and leadership processes in our political and social system, remain our main sources of concern."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ABIY AHMED, Ethiopian Prime Minister
"Increasing infrastructure connectivity between our countries, by building roads, airports and ports, rail networks, pipelines, and communication networks, will link communities, increase trade, and enable economic integration."

As part of the two-day summit, African leaders are expected to deliberate on continental issues, ranging from regional peace and security to continental development, the reform of the AU, and Africa's increased presence on the international stage, as well as boosting the continent's socio-economic and infrastructure integration.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Addis Ababa.
(XHTV)