Addis Ababa: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat said institutional reform is underway within the African Union to make it more efficient and more able to meet the challenges of a changing world. The chair made the remark while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 44th Session of the Executive Council of the African Union here in Addis Ababa. Foreign Affairs Ministers of AU member countries, heads of international organizations and other invited guests are attending the two day meeting. Opening the meeting, the Chairperson of AUC talked about ongoing institutional reform activities within the African Union to make the continental organization more efficient. He acknowledged the challenges faced in implementing the reform agenda, citing limitations in resources, political resistance, and bureaucratic inertia as notable obstacles. Concerns were raised about the AU's heavy reliance on external funding, which exposes it to potential vulnerabilities arising from fluct uations in donor support. The Chairperson underscored the importance of institutional reform within the AU to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness in addressing the evolving challenges of a changing world. 'This reform initiative has been in motion since the second session of the Executive Council held in Nairobi, Kenya, back in June 2023, and it continues to be a vital partnership in the face of geopolitical, geoeconomic, and geostrategic transformations on the global stage.' During his address, Chairperson Mahamat drew attention to specific areas of focus in the ongoing institutional reform efforts. These include the finalization of reforms for 40 specialized agencies within the AU, as well as the clarification of roles and responsibilities among the AU, regional economic communities, and member states. Such reforms aim to streamline operations and improve coordination among these entities, he stated. The Chairperson has also stressed the need for strong commitment of member countries to effectivel y implement the development plans stipulated in Africa's Agenda 2063. Financial management emerged as another crucial aspect highlighted by Chairperson Faki. He stressed the need for increased transparency and accountability within the AU. Prompt payment of dues by member states and the enhancement of program budget implementation were emphasized as crucial factors for achieving financial stability. Furthermore, the Chairperson emphasized the importance of enhancing the quality and efficiency of the AU's workforce. In this regard, the development of new recruitment and performance evaluation systems was identified as crucial to achieving the desired objectives Source: Ethiopian News Agency President Kais Saied discussed at a meeting with Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani at the Carthage Palace on Wednesday afternoon a number of issues, including the government's activities in recent days, particularly in following up the implementation of major projects that have been stalled for many years. According to a statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic, these projects "have either not started or have started and stalled for various reasons, not least the impact of a number of complex procedures and often as a result of corruption lobbies that see the completion of these projects as compromising their interests." The meeting discussed the need to put an end to so-called subcontracting, which is a "disguised slavery and tantamount to human trafficking," according to the same statement. "By what right does a person work for a small wage and the owner of the company is paid much more than this wage," it was indicated in the same statement. The President of the Republic also stressed the need to find a quick solution for site workers so that they can get their rights away from this or that Mechanism. "What has been called a Mechanism in fact keeps many in fragile situations that are not accepted by a state whose policy is based on achieving justice and fairness," he was quoted as saying. The meeting also discussed Tunisia's participation in the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. In this regard, the President of the Republic reiterated that Tunisia is working to ensure that Africa is for Africans and to put an end to the suffering of many African peoples for decades. This is despite the fact that the African continent is rich in natural resources which "unfortunately have not been enjoyed by the majority of its people and hundreds of millions continue to live in poverty and hunger, not to mention the terrorist organisations which have found in this situation a space to grow and further destabilise security and stability." Source: Agence Tun is Afrique Presse