Several important issues will be discussed at the 33rd summit of the African Union (AU), including the institutional reform of the AU, the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) in addition to topics related to peace and security in Africa, Jazouli, who is taking part in the AU Executive Council, told MAP.

According to him, these are "essential themes for the successful emergence of our continent". "Without peace and security it is illusory to think of economic growth or inclusive development", he said, stressing the need to refocus the work of the Pan-African organization and put the human element at the heart of its goals.

"It is in this sense that this session will be marked by the adoption of the statutes of the African observatory on migration,” he added. The 36th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) opened Thursday in Addis Ababa, with the participation of Morocco.

The Executive Council will consider the draft agenda and the draft decisions and declarations of the Assembly with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the Heads of State scheduled to take place from 9-10 February 2020. For two days, participants will reconvene in close session to deliberate on the different items on their agenda including the consideration the report of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC); the Annual Report on the Activities of the Union and its Organs for the period of January to December 2019 and the 14th Report of the Africa Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson on the implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA).