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President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to strengthen the already solidarity prevailing among them to present a united force to address the numerous problems of poverty, disease and illiteracy bedeviling the continent. �Our struggle to overcome poverty, disease and illiteracy, is a common one whose success is dependent on the solidarity that exists between us�, said President Mahama in his address at the Twentieth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In a speech he read at the AU Summit, the President noted that in December last year, Ghana held successful presidential and parliamentary election which entrusted him with the hopes and aspirations of the people by virtue being elected to the high office of President of the Republic. He said in accepting that challenge, it meant recognizing how intimately bound the fortunes of Ghana were with those of the entire continent. �That solidarity has always made us deeply appreciative of how much we owe our country's continuing stability and steady advancement in democracy to the friendship and cooperation we have enjoyed with a great many countries since our independence in March 1957�, he said. President Mahama recalled that Ghana had not forgotten how the entire continent stood head and shoulder with Ghanaians in the dark days of the nation to overcome grief, following the sudden and untimely demise of President John Evans Atta Mills. �I am, therefore, here today fully conscious of the encouragement and generous support that have been consistently extended to Ghana over the years, by the international community among whom this unique continental union of African states enjoys a pride of place�, he said. He also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the African Union, President Yayi Boni of Benin and the other Heads of State and representatives, who came to grace the swearing-in ceremony on January 7th, 2013. �We are grateful to the numerous observers from various countries, inter-governmental, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups who came to witness the elections�, said the President, adding that his government regarded them as indispensable partners in striving for the highest standards of transparency and integrity in Ghana�s electoral process. President Mahama noted that it was for all those reasons that Ghana had watched with grave concern the deadly threat posed to the peace and progress of the continent by the events unfolding in the North of Mali. �We fully support the on-going international intervention in Mali and trust that it will lead to a speedy resolution of the crisis and the full recovery of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a much-treasured sister African country�, he added.