Thaksin To Meet Chairperson Of The Commission Of The African Union

[Jai Dee]

The Prime Minister today meets with visiting Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union Alpha Oumar Konare

The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, is paying an official visit to Thailand from June 5 to 6, as guest of the Thai government.

Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at Government House at 3 p.m. today (June 5). He will later on be the guest of honour at a dinner banquet hosted by the government in his honour at the Oriental Hotel.

Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare, 60, was a two-time president of the Republic of Mali. With a doctoral degree in archaeology from Poland, he used to serve as a Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture and a UNESCO advisor in cultural promotion.

Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare has been well known for his roles in stimulating the economic growth and democratic process in Mali. As a Mali leader, he had actively supported the pan-Africanist movement which resulted in his being selected unanimously as chairperson of the Commission of the African Union.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand considers the African region a potential emerging market with a population of 800 million and abundant mineral and natural resources. To manifest the importance it has attached to the Thai-African relations, the Thai Government declared 2005 as the year of Africa. Towards that goal, it has undertaken a Look West policy while promoting partnership relations with African nations.

During the past five years, the Thai-African trade value had risen continuously, reaching 4.4 billion US dollars in 2005, doubling the value in 1988. Thai major exports to Africa are rice, clothes, automobile parts and plastic products. Imports from Africa are mainly essential raw materials for the manufacturing sector such as gemstones from Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya, diamond from Botswana, cotton from Mali and fishery products from Mozambique.

Apart from the economic cooperation, Thailand is also promoting technical cooperation with African countries by transferring its expertise in agriculture and public health, particularly in the new theory initiated by His Majesty the King and HIV/Aids prevention.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the current visit to Thailand of Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare provides a good opportunity for the strengthening of relations between Thailand and Africa. The visit is also the first by a high-level delegate from the Commission of the African Union and reflects the intention of both sides to achieve a closer relationship and cooperation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 June 2006

[ratcatcher]

""The Prime Minister today meets with visiting Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union Alpha Oumar Konare""

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Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 June 2006

Did I miss something again?

And here I was under the impression that Thailand had a "Caretaker Prime Minister" of a lame duck government that is in deep doo doo due to major irregularities in and around the last election etc, etc.

Do we indeed have a Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra "running" this country?

Edited June 5, 2006 by ratcatcher