Addis Ababa, February 01 (ENA)-- The Second Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) commenced here on Saturday.

In an opening address, Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said Ethiopia has been associated with the African quest to bring about unity and promote cooperation since the convening of the second conference of independent African States in Addis Ababa in 1960.

The coming into being of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963 gave a concrete and institutional expression to the efforts of the African people towards unity and solidarity, he said.

„Addis Ababa is fortunate again to continue being the center of the activity for a speeded up integration of Africa and a home for AU, which has taken over the baton from the OAU to fulfill the African quest for the second liberation of the Africa people-liberation from economic deprivation for which the integration of the continent is an imperative necessity," he said.

Seyoum also expressed his hope that the deliberations of the Executive Council would be constructive and productive and the work done in Tripoli during the first extra-ordinary session of the council would be wrapped up here in Addis with full success.

„I have no doubt that the work done by the Ad Hoc Committee will contribute to making our task less difficult and less demanding," the Minister added.