AU to discuss human cloning

2004-07-05 16:06

Addis Ababa - The African Union's (AU) executive council has given the go-ahead for a common African position on the controversial issue of human cloning to be drawn up.

The South African government proposed to the fifth ordinary session of the council that a common African position be presented to the international convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings.

According to Bience Gawanas, the commissioner in charge of social and health affairs, the matter will be discussed by the health ministers of African member states at a WHO-Afro regional meeting in August or September.

"They will come up with a position," said Gawanas who said on Monday that it was not currently a "major agenda item" given prevailing talks on matters such as HIV/Aids, children and gender issues.

Gawanas said she would help consider whether the position adopted at the forthcoming WHO-Afro regional meeting would be the AU common position, or whether further discussions and consensus might only be reached at next year's scheduled AU health ministers meeting.

"An emotional and divisive issue"

In a letter dated May 21, 2004 and signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad the ministry requested the matter to be placed on executive council meeting agenda.

"Human cloning has become an emotional and divisive issue also between African states," read the letter, which added the question of human cloning raised serious ethical, legal, cultural, philosophical and religious questions regarding human dignity.

The letter, addressed to the chairperson of the AU commission, Alpha Konare, said those African countries favouring a ban on all forms of cloning do so not only because of ethical, cultural or religious reasons, but also because of concerns that women from developing countries might be exploited to obtain fertilised eggs for therapeutic research.

These unnamed countries also cite a lack of capacity to control the practice.

Africa's common position would help inform a United Nations debate on the international convention against human cloning.

The general assembly of the UN decided in 2003 to defer consideration of the matter until its 59th session in September 2004.

This followed a procedural motion by the 54 member Organisation of Islamic Conference, which asked for more time to consider the issue and its implications.

- SAPA