KHARTOUM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashiron Sunday called for a greater role and higher voice for Africa in the international domains.

    This came one day ahead of the 6th ordinary session of the assembly of the African heads of state and government on January 23-24 to discuss a number of issues including reformation of the United Nations Security Council.

    In his address to the inaugural session of the African Peers Review Mechanism (APRM) inundated from the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Al-Bashir said "we look forward to a greater role and louder voice in the decision making at the international financial institutions and at the UN and its agencies."

    He stressed the need for an African role that could raise the rights of the vulnerable people and enhance the human cooperation and fold all pages of spelling and oppressions.

    "We look forward for a real African contribution in the global trade and we insist that Africa, which is underdeveloped, should enjoy rights of preferable treatment and easy access to the markets of the industrialized countries," Al-Bashir said, calling for an inclusive participation of the African states in the African Union (AU).

    On the action of his country to join the APRM, which was signed by the president on behalf of his country, Al-Bashir described the move as "expressing a confident belief of the country on the principles of the African Declaration and on the regulations and institutions of NEPAD and the new mechanism."

    "It also expresses our commitment to the responsibilities toward the democratic transformation process and the mechanism will safeguard the human rights and dignity and protect women and vulnerable people against distinction and adopt a strategy to side with the poorer people and weak," added Al-Bashir.

    He stressed that "our commitment to these values and principles goes back to our true belongingness to NEPAD as an African institution that expresses the African cooperation and sovereignty."

    The AU next summit is set to be held in Khartoum on Monday and Tuesday in the presence of "more than 30" heads of state and government from the African continent in addition to ministers and representatives from Africa and other countries.

    The African foreign ministers have been convening since Friday in preparation for the summit and the issue of Sudan being a candidate for the next chairmanship of the continental organization is controversial. Enditem