A one-hour audience granted to President Paul Biya and his close entourage to Tripoli by the Libyan Guide, Muammar al-Gaddafi marked one of the high points of the Head of State’s participation at the two-day Africa/EU Summit. Before leaving the Libyan capital yesterday Tuesday, November 30, President Paul Biya granted an interview to the Libyan press during which he expressed his views about the Summit and the audience he had with the Libyan Guide.
When President Paul Biya, accompanied by the First Lady Chantal Biya and his close entourage to Libya, left by mid day Tripoli time (11 a.m. in Yaounde) for the residence of the Libyan Guide Muammar al-Gaddafi, it was clear that the Head of State still had business at hand. The audience with the Libya Guide, according to President Paul Biya gave both of them the opportunity to exchange views on the United States of Africa and bilateral relations between Tripoli and Yaounde. The Head of State also expressed satisfaction with the reception granted him and his entourage by the Libyan people and their leader during his three-day stay in Tripoli.
Before signing the golden book alongside the First Lady, President Paul Biya took time off with the Libyan Guide to visit parts of the Libyan President’s Palace destroyed by the United States of America in 1986 following tension between Libya and America over the crash of the PANAM Airline. The Head of State then took off for the Tripoli International Airport for departure from Libya.
In an interview to the press before departure, President Paul Biya recalled the statement made by the Libyan Guide at the Summit on the need to reinforce ties between Africa and the European Union. He noted that the Tripoli Summit gave leaders the opportunity to meet with each other and discussion issues. He noted that the Tripoli Summit was a success judging from issues tabled for discussion, adding that all the debate took place in a frank and cordial atmosphere.
The Libyan Summit that grouped leaders from Africa and the European Union (EU) with "Investment, Economic Growth and Job Creation" as theme ended with the adoption of the 2011-2013 Action Plan for Africa and the EU.
Talking as host of the Third Africa/EU Summit, President Muammar al-Gaddafi pointed out that Africa as a rich continent has freely chosen to cooperate with the EU and could do the same with China, Latin America, North America, India and Russia and could also move towards any bloc that respects the values and cultural realities of the African continent.
On their part, the Chairperson of the African Commission Jean Ping and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso granted a press conference during which they highlighted some of the key issues that Africa and the EU need to tackle for the enhancement of their partnership.
