Africa

Presidents,

Prime Ministers,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me first thank our hosts, President Joaquim Chissano and the people of Mozambique, for their wonderful welcome and generous hospitality. Equally, let me say a special word of gratitude to President Thabo Mbeki for his hard work and leadership during the first -- and highly challenging -- year in the life of the African Union.

I should also like to pay tribute to Mr. Amara Essy, First Chairman of the Commission of the African Union, for his dedicated service and for the leadership he has provided in helping lay down foundations for the Commission of the African Union.

Not far from this conference room, in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 13 million people are threatened with famine.

If any reminder were needed of what happens when we fail to plan for and protect the long-term future of our planet, it can be heard in the cries for help from those 13 million souls.

And if there is one word that should be on everyone’s lips at this summit, one concept that embodies everything we hope to achieve here in Johannesburg, it is responsibility.

President Obasanjo, our gracious host,

President Eyadema, Chairman of the OAU,

Salim Salim, Secretary-General of the OAU,

Excellencies, my dear friends,

This is a conference about Africa's future.

Following is the address given by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at Harare:

It is an honour and a privilege for me to be here in Harare today, addressing the leaders of Africa at this Annual Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

On behalf of us all, I pay tribute to President Robert Mugabe. We thank him, and the Government and people of Zimbabwe, for the warmth of their welcome and the graciousness of their hospitality.