Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA'S SIGNING OF THE ABUJA TREATY AND THE AFRICAN CHARTER OF THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD
During a ceremon at Africa Unity House Africa, headquarters of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa, the South Africa Ambassador to the OAU, Mr Welile Nhlapo, signed the Treaty Establishing th African Economic Community (AEC), commonly known as the Abuja Treaty, on behalf of the South African Government. At the signing ceremony the Ambassador underscored the fact that South Africa attaches great importance to the economic integration of the Continent.
The OAU Secretary-General, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, welcomed the signing of the Treaty by South Africa and expressed the hope that South Africa would expedite the ratification thereof. He noted that during the signing of the Treaty Establishing the AEC, by the African Leaders in Abuja in 1991, South Africa was then not a member of the OAU, adding that the commitment demonstrated by South Africa after joining the African family of nations was exemplary and commendable.
The Treaty was signed on 3 June 1991, and provides for the AEC to be set up, through a gradual process of coordination, harmonisation and progressive integration of the activities of existing and future Regional Economic Communities in Africa. The Southern African Development Community (SADC), compriing f the 14 OAU Member States in the Southern African region, is an example of one such Regional Economic Community.
The Treaty which entered into force on 12 May 1994, has been signed b 52 f the 53 Member States of the OAU and has been ratified by forty-one states thusfar.
At the same ceremony, Ambassador Nhlapo also signed the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which has been signed by 23 and ratified by 8 Member States of the OAU. It will enter into force after 15 Member States have ratified the Charter.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 22 OCTOBER 1997