NOUAKCHOTT, July 1, 2018 (MENA) - The 31st African Union Summit kicked off here Sunday with 22 heads of state and government probing the fight against corruption. Over two days, the summit will also tackle institutional and financial reform, as well as developments regarding the African free trade agreement. Addressing the summit, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz said terrorism hinders development in Africa. Fighting corruption, he added, is key to achieving growth and prosperity. He said his country has been working over the past years to achieve a quantum leap, where individual and collective freedoms are concerned. An effective law has been passed to counter bribes and control authorities have been activated, Abdel Aziz told the gathering.