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Encouragingfaster anddeeperintegration16th Ordinary Session of theAfrican Union Executive CouncilAddis Ababa, Ethiopia28 January 2010This year is particularly significant because it marks the start of anew decade and new beginnings are always an opportunity forrenewal and rededication to our development aspirations. Perhapsmore noteworthy is the fact that this year marks the fiftieth anniversaryof independence for a large number of African countries. Africawas encouraged by the trailblazing example of countries suchas Sudan and Ghana, but with a critical mass of countries achievingindependence in 1960, that year could arguably be described as theturning point in the struggle for decolonisation. As we celebrate thisanniversary, we must inevitably reflect on how well we have doneover this period in the various areas in which we have been collectivelyengaged since then.If such a reflection exercise is taken as a snapshot of the last decade,it will be quite evident that Africa has made considerable progresssince the beginning of the new millennium. This was the period inwhich the African Union was established and NEPAD adopted. Priorto the outbreak of the global economic and financial crisis, Africahad consistently achieved annual growth rates of 6%. It was makingsteady progress in peace and security issues and had taken the leadin defining its own governance agenda by promoting more democraticand accountable political structures in the continent, includingthrough the creation of the African Peer Review Mechanism. Moreover,our continent has made considerable progress in a number of42 Part One