ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The 5th Retreat of the African Union (AU) Executive Council kicked off Thursday to discuss progress of Agenda 2063 and the continent's major socio-economic and political issues.
The two-day meeting, held at the AU headquarter in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, gathers foreign ministers of the AU member states to exchange views.
In her opening remarks, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, called on AU member states and stakeholders to play their role towards the realization of Agenda 2063.
The chairperson highlighted the need to harness Africa's natural resources towards job creation, industrialization, food security and transformation.
"On a global level, there are also many opportunities and challenges, and Africa must continue to position itself in such a manner that advances its agenda," noted Dlamini-Zuma.
Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Workneh Gebeyehu, reiterated that ministerial retreats are valuable opportunities for AU member states to deliberate on continental priority issues.
"The domestication of Agenda 2063 into our national development policies is, indeed, a priority that requires our full attention during this retreat," he said.
