by Xinhua writers Zhu Lei, Li Weijie

    SIRTE, Libya, July 4 (Xinhua) -- At the just-ended 13th summit of the African Union (AU) in Libya's port city of Sirte, African leaders resolved to transform the AU Commission, the executive arm of the pan-African body, into the AU Authority with a broader mandate.

    The creation of the AU Authority, comprising a chair, a vice-chair and 10 secretaries with specific portfolios, will expand the new institution's powers over defense, diplomatic and international trade matters.

    African observers hailed the landmark decision to strengthen Africa's unity and continental integration, but they also believe the transformation process needs long time and more tangible actions.

    GADDAFI LEADS TRANSFORMATION

    The idea of establishing a unity government in Africa has been discussed for years among the African leaders.

    Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is spearheading the drive, which he believes is the only way to face up the challenges of globalization, fight poverty and resolve conflicts free from outside interference.

    In efforts to rally support for his African ambition, Gaddafi has sent dignitaries abroad at one hand, and at the other invited African leaders to Tripoli.

    In July 2007, under the support of Libya and some African countries, the 9th AU summit in Ghana's capital Accra discussed the issue of establishing the Union Government and the United States of Africa.

    As AU's rotating chairman and host of the Sirte summit, Gaddafi seized this opportunity to lobby regional support.

    He even showed up at the foreign ministerial meeting of the AU Executive Council to call on African countries to uphold the formation of the AU Authority.

    At a summit of New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) held in Sirte on Tuesday, Gaddafi also tried to convince NEPAD to integrate into the structures the AU and to be part of the future AU Authority.

    In addition, Gaddafi has also held intensive bilateral and multilateral talks with African leaders during this summit, to persuade those who take different views to support the creation of the AU Authority.

    When meeting with South African President Jacob Zuma, the Libyan leader stressed that Tripoli and Pretoria play significant roles in boosting the AU development and establishing the new AU executive organ. During the meeting, Zuma conceded Libya's efforts to set up the United States of Africa.

    At the ending of the summit, Gaddafi said he was very satisfied with the important outcomes recorded at the summit. He hailed the landmark and historic decision taken by the heads of state and government who transformed the AU Commission into a new AU Authority.

    "With the setting up of this Authority, Africa will speak through one single voice to take up challenges," Gaddafi said.

    OPPOSITION REMAINS

    At the AU Addis Ababa summit in February this year, African heads of state and government engaged in fierce debate on the Union Government, but failed to get a consensus, fearing that the coalition government would infringe sovereignty of AU's 53 member states.

    Also at the Sirte summit, the new authority was finally announced after overnight marathon discussion, amid opposition from those countries which argued for a more gradual approach to unification.

    The so-called gradualists, mainly southern and eastern African leaders, grouped around former South African President Thabo Mbeki, oppose an immediate integration, suggesting currently African nations should first focus on improving their respective socio-political systems, strengthening regional cooperation, and solving their own peace and development problems.

    Meanwhile, the African heads of state and government during the Sirte summit turned down the simplifying of AU current bodies and the transfer of their powers to the new Authority which is to become the sole executive organ of the AU, according to some diplomats here.

    Observers says that the consensus of African leaders to form a new authority is a positive step to close African ranks and forge a bigger say on international arena. However, they say the road ahead for the formation of the new authority will not be smooth and there will be more and higher hurdles waiting for the pan-African body.

    PROSPECT UNCLEAR

    Though the African leaders agreed on the establishment of the AU Authority, it is likely to take a long way to go for Africa's integration.

    Firstly, the setup of the AU Authority has to win the ratification by member states' parliaments. It is early to predict if it would be a smooth sailing.

    Meanwhile, the African leaders are so far at loggerheads about the nature of the new authority, its mandate, the amount and distribution of the secretaries, as well as how it will be funded.

    A subsidiary body of the AU in a recent report said the fund provided this year by members states for the AU budget was only 3.937 million U.S. dollars, which accounts for 5 percent of their responsibility and is far away from the AU budget which stands at 164.2 million dollars.

    Considering 75 percent of the AU expenditure is mainly financed by a few countries like Libya, whether these countries should get more powers, or should be given priority related to the posts of secretaries are also at dispute.

    However, if the authority is subject to the current institutional framework, there will not bring about any fundamental change.

    Within the organs of the AU, Gaddafi recommends that the authority be responsible for foreign affairs, the New Partnership for Africa's Development be in charge of foreign trade affairs, and the Peace and Security Council be tasked with national defense and security affairs. It is unknown if his idea has been accepted by others.