AU WEEKLY
24 Feb - 03 March , 2014 AU WEEKLY
…keeping you updated @Oxfam_AU Oxfam
Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union: OI-AU
In this issue
PEACE AND SECURITY
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AU deadlocked South Sudan talks
On Sunday, March 2, the AU announced that the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan adjourned negotiations between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) on the conflict in the “Two Areas” of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
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AU PSC engages CSOs to review Livingstone Formula
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Religious violence increase in Central African Republic
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EU President discusses Somalia, South Sudan, CAR
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African political parties offer to mediate in conflicts
The adjournment was because of a deadlock between the parties over a proposal made by the Panel in line with previous directives of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the United Nations Security Council.
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African Diaspora remittances better than foreign aid
AU deadlocked on Sudan—South Sudan talks
The SPLM-N presented a fundamentally different proposal, which rendered an agreement unattainable. The Panel is of the view that as matters stand, it is impossible to bridge the chasm between the Parties and will therefore refer the matter back to its mandating principal, the AU Peace and Security Council, for further guidance.
on
Sudan-
Further Reading: http://www. peaceau.org
AU PSC engages CSOs to review Livingstone Formula About 29 different CSOs converged in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho, between 21st and 23rd February, 2014 to engage with the AU Peace and Security Council. The meeting in Maseru under the PSC chair of the month of February—the Government of Lesotho—was to review the 2008 Livingstone Formula which encourages non-
governmental organizations, community based organizations and other civil society organizations to participate actively in the efforts aimed at promoting peace, security and stability in Africa. The Formula also provides a mechanism for the interaction between Civil Society Organisations and the PSC. The CSOs were given an
opportunity address the PSC during its opening session, were a review of the progress, challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the Livingstone Formula was frankly done.
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Religious violence increase in Central African Republic On Sunday, Rwandan peace keepers shot dead a member of a crowd that lynched two Muslims in the capital of the Central African Republic. Over the weekend, at least nine people were killed as violence rages between the
majority Christian population and Muslims. Both sides are continuing to justify tit-fortat killings between the two communities. The presence of 1,600 French soldiers and 5,000 African troops has failed to stop the violence,
despite the confiscation and destruction of seized weapons.
Further reading: http:// www.euronews.com
EU President discusses Somalia, South Sudan, CAR EU President Barroso on Thursday, February 27, met with several African leaders in Nigeria during which they discussed the situation in Somalia, South Sudan, Sahel and Central African Republic. The role of the European Union in assisting in the
stabilisation of conflict areas was praised by all Heads of State and Government. Bilateral meetings were also held with the Ethiopian Prime-Minister, the President of Burkina Faso, the President of Chad, the President of
Senegal and the President of Mauritania, the latter also in his capacity as current President of the African Union.
Further reading: http://allafrica.com
African political parties offer to mediate in conflicts The Council of African Political Parties (CAPP) said on Thursday, February 27, that it hoped to become a leading mediator in a continent known for political conflict. Speaking after a meeting
with African Union (A.U.) Commissioner for Political Affairs Aisha L. Abdullahi, CAPP Secretary-General Mafie Ali Mafie said the council planned to coordinate with the A.U. with a view to mediating
electoral conflicts in Africa. CAPP was founded in May of last year in Sudanese capital Khartoum by political parties representing 33 African countries.
`Further Reading: http://www. worldbulletin.net
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND LIVELIHOODS African Diaspora remittances better than foreign aid THE African Diaspora has grown to become such an important source of foreign exchange for Africa to the extent that the African Union (AU) has designated it as a sixth development “zone�.
This article below addresses important questions such as: what exactly is the volume of this important source of income to Africa, how do we compare remittances from Africans in the Diaspora to
development aid from nonAfricans, and what steps can African governments take to sustain and enhance this most reliable African development agency that is the African Diaspora.
`Further reading: http://www.newzimbabwe.com
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AU WEEKLY Africa-EU relationship scrutinized at seminar On Friday, February 28th, the Department of Economic Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) organized a seminar to debate the successes and challenges and to revisit strategic questions around the future of the Africa-EU
partnership. The seminar afforded an opportunity to participants to interrogate some of the key questions on the partnership, in all its complex nature, through open debate. Lack of political will, slow implementation, bureaucracy and lack of communication from both parties were identified as some of the impediments
to the sustainability of the partnership. Among the speakers were USbased Professor and author, Jack Mangala, Zambian Professor on Human Rights Law, Michelo Hansungula; Ambassador John Shinkaiye: a Nigerian Diplomat and former Chief of Staff of the AU Commission. The 4th EUAfrica Summit will take place in Brussels on 2-3 April 2014.
UPCOMING EVENTS DATE
EVENT
VENUE
DEPARTMENT
CONTACT Embassy of Mozambique in Ethiopia Bole KK, Kebele -05, H No 477
March
Chair of the Peace and Security Council for the month of March
P.O. Box 5671 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Peace and Security
Addis Ababa Ethiopia Tel: (+251) 116 63 38 11 / 12 Email:: embamoc-add@ ethionet.et Dr. Djoudalbaye Benjamin Department of Social Affairs
March 5-7
Inter-Agency Meeting on Coordination and Harmonization of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Strategies
African Union Commission P O Box 3243 Brazaville,Congo
Social Affairs
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel: +251 115 52 63 73 Ext 2207 Email::BenjaminD@africa-union. org cc HarakeyeM@africaunion.org
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10th CAADP Partnership Platform Meeting:
March 19-21
“Transforming Africa’s Agriculture for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, through Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development”
Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel Durban, South Africa
Rural Economy and Agriculture
Director of Rural Economy and Agriculture Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00 email: AbebeHG@africa-union. org
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