President leaves for AU Summit

Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra on Saturday for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to attend the Eight Extraordinary Conference of the African Union.

The President was accompanied by senior government officials. At the Airport to see him off were Ministers of State, Senior Government Officials and the Inspector General of Police, Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong.

President Kufuor is expected back on Wednesday.

A statement signed by Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to President Kufuor, said the high point of the meeting would be the election of a new Chairman of the Union to take over from Congolese President Sassou Nguesso.

Additionally, there would be a special presentation and discussion on the theme: "Science and Technology and Scientific Research for Development", as well as the launch of the International Year of African Football.

The statement said President Kufuor would present the first annual report on the implementation of Ghana's Programme of action under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the margins of the Summit. Ghana has the distinction of being the first member of the AU to join the Peer Review Mechanism and is, therefore, a pacesetter in the AU's quest for good governance under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) arrangement.