Page 12 - DIVA_4_2007_No.31

Interview with Her Excellency

Khadija Rachida Masri,

Ambassador and permanent representative

of the African Union in Geneva

With the on-going c tries in particular, which
in Darfur, the Africa,, started to gain their inde-
Union (AU) has reaft pendence one by one in the
come to the forefront o 1950s onwards.
world affairs. Not a da'
passes without us h The evolution of the organi-
ing about the D zation from the OAU to the
peace talks underta African Union was accom-
by the African Union ann panied by changes in the
the United Nations in the international environment,
press, on TV one of which was develop-
However, the African ment. OAU won the first bat-
Union is far more than tle for our continent and our
just a peace negoti countries. The second battle
so in order to know which the AU is now engag-
tie more we went to ing is the fight for sustainable
Ms Masri, the amba development on the conti-
dor and permanent nent, as well as the economic
of
resentative integration of the continent
African Union here in into the international context.
Geneva.
This transformation process
rience, a more continental mental organizations based
Ms Masri, a dynamic has been taking place pro-
woman of Tunisian ori- one with the African Union. here in Geneva. The spec- gressively since 1979 and led
That's the reason why I trum is huge, so you learn a
gin, whom her col- to the restructuring of the
leagues in Geneva have applied, with other candi- lot; and not least, you work a OUA as a "new" organiza-
dates, for this position as lot, but as we say in French
given the nickname tion. Of course, it gave itself
Permanent Representative of "le travail c'est la sante"
'Mama Africa, is a several visions, and, if I may
the African Union here in
defender of African resume it in one phrase, I
interests, and she does Geneva--and I succeeded. Q: Apart from the Darfur would say it is to build an
crisis, we do not hear much
it well-to an extent that integrated and prosperous
she has been made an Q: Do you like Geneva? about the African Union. Africa in peace, counting on
Would you be so kind to tell
Honourable Member of its inhabitants, and constitut-
the Diplomatic Circle of Yes, I do. Geneva is an us more about it? ing a dynamic force in the
important international plat-
Geneva. international arena.
form, with its multitude of That you do not know about
international organizations. the African Union surprises
Leaving the floor to Ms The organization plays the
It's an enriching experience me a little! The denomina-
Masri ... and to Africa. role of an interface between
for a diplomat because it tion might have changed to Africa and the rest of the
gives you a more global the African Union, but before
Q: Ms Ambassador, who world, in order to show that
vision than any other diplo- it was the Organization of
are you and what is your Africa is not a continent col-
matic posting. Of course, in African Unity (OAU), an
background? lapsing under the pressure of
the multilateral arena we are organization existing since famine and conflicts--all that
dealing with a variety of 1963. The character of the
My name is Khadija Masri, is negative--but rather a con-
fields--human rights, health, organization, I would say,
and I'm a national of Tunisia. tinent that can continue to
intellectual property, trade was political, as the majority
I'm a career diplomat with conduct an open dialogue in
issues at the WTO, labour of the African countries in
more than twenty-six years an equal partnership with all
laws at the ILO--not to men- those days were under colo-
of experience with the regions of the world. This is
tion all the other organiza- nial rule. One could say tjiat
Tunisian diplomatic corps. I the main vision of the
tions. If the figures are right, its mission was to fight for
felt that I was at the end of African Union.
there are about twenty inter- the independence of the con-
my career, and therefore I
national and inter-govern- tinent and the African coun-
wanted to gain another expe- Other visions concern eco-
1042007 Diva
n t e r n a t o n a