Ministers from 53 of Africa's 54 states meet today for the last conference of the Organisation of African Unity before its rebirth as the African Union (AU) next week.
The 76th Ministers Meeting was opened by host country South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who told delegates the new AU will seek peace, pan-Africanism and political stability.
"At the dawn of the African century, the birth of the African Union represents continuity in the pan-African movement towards creating institutions that will allow all of us to achieve our objectives. The forces of good governance and democracy are unstoppable," Mr Zuma said.
But peace and prosperity in Africa are being marred by "pockets of conflict", such as the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and an election dispute in Madagascar.
The Indian Ocean island has been barred from the AU inaugural meeting as African countries recognise neither of Madagascar's feuding leaders, whose rivalry plunged the country into civil conflict following December elections.
Outgoing president Mr Didier Ratsiraka refused to concede defeat to Mr Marc Ravalomanana and demanded that a second round vote be held, but the constitutional court - reshuffled by Mr Ravalomanana from Mr Ratsiraka's team -upheld the results in April.
"The decision on Madagascar is a big indication on the new way of doing things," Mr Zuma promised delegates.
The three-day ministers' meeting will be followed by a three-day summit of African leaders, at which the main sections of the AU, including a Peace and Security Council along UN Security Council lines, will be launched.
The AU also proposes to have a single central bank, a common court of justice and eventually a single currency.
It was hoped that the AU would have greater leadership powers of intervention including military, to secure political stability than its predecessor, which has been as a symbol of regional solidarity but has proven politically ineffectual.
AFP