President Thabo Mbeki has praised the settlement brokered by the African Union in Sao Tome and Principe, following a military coup in that country last month, for taking the African renaissance further forward.

Writing in the African National Congress' on-line publication, ANC Today, yesterday, he said this success confirmed the continent and AU's commitment to defend democracy and oppose military and unconstitutional rule.

Determination to ensure this happened was also demonstrated last week by the first meeting of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism in Cape Town.

"Meeting together for the first time to conduct a comprehensive study of their responsibilities, these outstanding African men and women communicated the strong message that they were fully committed to discharge the responsibilities Africa had put on their shoulders," he said.

They understood and accepted the seriousness of the challenge they faced - to ensure they helped the continent address the critically important issues of good political, economic and corporate governance.

"What happened in Sao Tome and Cape Town tell us that the African sun is shining once more," Mbeki said.

"Critical to the success of the historic African transformation project is our courage to stand up for what we think and feel is correct.

"We must have the confidence in ourselves to say and do what we believe is right, and openly to admit and correct any wrongs we might commit".

Once more Africa had the opportunity to make a new start.

"This time we must, together as Africans, make the determination that it will not be a false start.

"The truly African intelligentsia has a new opportunity to lead the march forward towards Africa's renaissance".

However, the reality was that the road to be travelled, "from our past to our rebirth, is not smooth and comfortable".

"It demands that all who would take to this African highway must understand that to travel this road is to commit oneself to a long, hard and punishing journey, with no rewards from donors, and no acclaim from their domestic African dependants and propagandists," Mbeki said. – Sapa.