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MANILA, Philippines?After the brickbats she earned for her recent trip to the United States that included a number of congressmen, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to leave for Tripoli, Libya early Monday morning with only five government executives joining her.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, aside from a ?full schedule? for this trip, the President will only have a ?lean delegation? composed of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis.
At the Special AU Summit, which coincides with celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the Libyan Revolution, the President is scheduled to meet with heads of state and government of South Asian and African states.
Among those whom Arroyo is scheduled to meet on September 1 are Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, who invited the President for the summit and the anniversary ceremonies, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajakasa, and Pakistan President Yousaf Raza Gillani.
On August 31, President Arroyo is expected to meet with Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, Mali President Amadou Toumani Toure, and Guinea President Captain Moussa Dadis Camara of the National Council for Democracy and Development.
In her planned meetings with the African leaders, the President is expected to share and offer Philippine expertise and experience particularly in capacity-building and human resource development in the areas of agriculture, education, fisheries, health, and technical skills.
The summit will discuss peace and security issues in the African continent, including international anti-piracy in the Somali coast, an issue that affects Filipino seamen who comprise a third of the world?s sea farers. At any given time, an estimated 250,000 Filipino seamen are in ships plying global shipping trade routes.
?At the sidelines of the Special AU Summit, the President will have a rare opportunity to engage the leaders of African states and push for stronger relations with the African continent,? according to the DFA statement e-mailed to media outfits.
President Arroyo will thank Qaddafi for his country?s ?historic and continuing role? in the conclusion of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and in the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro National Liberation Front. She will also thank him for hosting a number of overseas Filipino workers, as the two countries in 2000 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance and facilitate joint cooperation in the field of manpower and employment.
?The President will also express the Philippines? commitment to convene the 2nd RP-Libya Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) to further increase economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries,? the DFA said.
With her Sri Lankan counterpart, the President will exchange views and experiences on counter terrorism efforts, as well as push for increased trade between the two countries.
With her Pakistani counterpart, Arroyo will discuss the planned visit of the Bishop-Ulama Conference, which fosters interfaith dialogue in support of the peace process in Mindanao, to Pakistan in October this year. The two countries will celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations on September 8.
In all her meetings, the President will reiterate the country?s invitation to the African and South Asian leaders to participate in the Special NAM Special Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development that the Philippines will host in December 2009.
She will also continue to seek support from leaders whose host countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) for the Philippines? bid for observer status.
?The Philippine embassy in Libya notes that the activities and gatherings will be austere as these will take place during the Holy Month of Ramadan,? the DFA said.
The 53-member AU is the premier institution for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the African continent. Libya currently sits as chair of the AU.
The Philippine contingent will leave Manila at 12: 10 a.m. Monday and immediately proceed to the African Union Summit scheduled on August 30 to 31. After her activities conclude on the evening of September 1, President Arroyo will proceed directly to the airport for her flight back to Manila.
