“The closer co-operation between the African and Arab regions will complement each other by taking the member states to the new heights of excellence,” Abdulwasie Yusuf Ali, the Secretary General of ASSECAA on the sidelines of the 7th meeting and 8th conference of the Association of Senates, Shura and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World told The24X7 News.
Talking about the Kingdom of Bahrain’s assuming the Presidency of AAECAA said that it shows Bahrain’s forward looking democratic approach and close co-operation with the African and Arab nations by fostering new relationship in political, trade and economic sectors.
“In the course of the year 2011, which was a very difficult year in Yemen, the management and staff of ASSECAA were focusing on rationalizing and justifying our expenditure and to make sure maintaining the status quo of organizing the annual meetings and do some planning,” he said.
“The year 2012 proved to be relatively calm to recollect ourselves and to discover our in-house potential. We have convinced ourselves at the General Secretariat that every one of us needs to earn his payments. Step by step we are moving in the direction that each Officer/ Employee has to justify why he is to be retained in the service of ASSECAA.
“Comparatively speaking we are a smaller organization, and as such, every one of our staff is compelled to assume more than one function. Management needs to set good example and harness this good will and available potential towards achieving our duties in a much better way.
“Given the required support and cooperation of the member councils, the Management and staff of the General Secretariat have the potential to perform more satisfactorily.
“We must all be convinced that our creator has blessed our two regions with his grace. We have abundant human resources and great wealth of natural resources for which we are accountable. We have to know that Africa and the Arab World share so many things in common. The similarities in our historical back ground and culture, and the resemblance of our heritage have the potential to pave the way for us to work together and reap the fruit of our joint effort.
“It has become evident that investors both from east and west are in rush to our two regions. Our own experts are urging us to take the necessary steps to enable us create common market and to engage in large agricultural and industrial projects that look for medium and huge investments.
“There is nothing impossible if we all work towards achieving our common objectives and interest, you may all recall the dream of Martin Luther king that he declared some half a century ago, which has enabled a black man to be the leader of the most powerful country of our time.
“To have in our two regions highly specialized Universities and technical colleges where we produce technical, electronic engineers and social scientists and technicians who will satisfy the requirements of our developmental endeavors; to establish a confederation of Afro –Arab Chamber of Commerce that paves the road to establish a common market of our two regions and promotes investment and inter regional trade; to establish Afro-Arab Cultural Center and village that caters for the launch of cultural renaissance in our two regions; to see ASSECAA playing a catalyst role that accelerates the emergence of a Confederation of Afro- Arab Union through consistence inter action with the Arab League and African Union that brings about a common currency and a common working language; to see Member Councils of ASSECAA exerting their utmost to make the two regions a better place to live in where peace and Security reign; to provide food security for our people and rescue them from hunger; to give our people the respect they deserve by securing them employment opportunities and social security; to demonstrate good governance, to fight corruption and to establish a dependable mechanism for smooth transfer of state power; members of our Council can play a prominent function of guiding or counseling the Executives who are so close to them. By so doing they can save our two regions from the devastating effect of the turmoil or revolution that may occur and we have observed the constructive role that organized bodies like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) the Arab League and African Union can play to prevent conflicts and to bring about peace. With your support and cooperation ASSECAA can play a signification role in these regards,” he said.