Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt - Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has said the African federal government will be set up next January by those countries that are ready to do so. "We are going to announce the Union Government next January," Wade said on Convergence FM, a Dakar (Senegal)-based radio station.

The announcement followed a compromise reached on the issue here by African leaders, who directed the chairman of AU the Commission, Jean Ping, to draw up a report on the road map and mechanism for the establishment of a continental government

Ping is expected to present his report during the next AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2009. Wade said: "20 states had committed to immediately announce the Union government. Nobody dared oppose that even though we know some people are using baseless arguments to make us get nowhere.

"We will be waiting until January to dedicate a special day to the issue."

At the January summit, the heads of state and government have resolved to dedicate a full day to discuss Ping's report and decide on the implementation of the government.

The countries that are pushing for an immediate take-off of the Union Government, including Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Sudan, Gabon and Mali, have agreed to meet in Dakar, Senegal, or in Libreville, Gabon, to formalise their decision.

Ahead of the summit, Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi had threatened to expose those he said were hampering the establishment of the Union Government.

He said those advocating a gradualist approach to the issue were only thwarting African unity.

from afriquenligne.fr