AU WEEKLY ...keeping you updated May 8th, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS Economic Justice
Experts, Senior Officials and Ministers of Trade to Meet
Governance
Understanding the AU
Department of Peace and Security
Upcoming Events
Election Crisis in Burundi
Trade Experts Meeting:
ECOSOCC Appoints Special Advisers
11 - 13 May 2015: Meeting of Senior Trade Officials
14 – 15 May 2015: Meeting of Ministers of
25th African Union Summit
Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - twitter@oxfam_AU Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam’s views
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AU Weekly
Economic Justice
Experts, Senior Officials and Ministers of Trade to Meet The African Union Commission (AUC) is organizing a meeting of trade experts/Senior Trade Officials and Ministers of Trade which starts May 8th and will run till May 15th 2015, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting is scheduled as follows; 08 – 10 May 2015: Meeting of Trade Experts 11 - 13 May 2015: Meeting of Senior Trade Officials 14 – 15 May 2015: Meeting of Ministers of Trade This meeting is being organized in the framework of the launch of Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) negotiations coming up in June 2015 . Experts and Senior Officials will deliberate and agree on objectives and principles that will guide the negotiations for the establishment of the CFTA. They will also agree on the Terms of Reference for the CFTA-Negotiating Forum and the Draft Roadmap for the CFTA Negotiations. The Ministers of Trade will later consider the recommendations made by Experts and Senior Officials as well as the revised working documents and give guidance on the way forward. Further reading: ababa-ethiopia
http://ti.au.int/en/events/african-union-ministers-trade-meeting-amot-addis-
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AU Weekly
Governance Election
Crisis
in
Burundi
Civil unrest erupted on Sunday April 26th 2015 in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi, after President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to go in for the third term presidential elections in June. Critics and protesters strongly oppose Nkurunziza saying it is unconstitutional. Dozens of people have been killed in Burundi in outbreak of clashes between police and protesters demonstrating against President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term and about 600 protesters arrested. Approximately 50, 000 Burundians have sought refuge in neighboring countries . Despite the protest and violent acts, Nkurunziza is still determined to go in for the third term saying he will step down after term if re-elected as president. Addressing the nation he said "I wish to inform the national and international community that if re-elected this will be the final term as provided in the ruling of the constitutional court".
ECOSOCC Appoints Special Advisers Five Special Advisers have been appointed by the Presiding Officer Mr. Joseph Chilengi of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC) to assist the Organ in the implementation of its mandate. The appointees are as follows: Professor Dipo Kolawole, Former ViceChancellor, University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria Adviser on Regional and International Partnerships Chukuemeka Eze, Executive Director, West African Network for Peacebuilding, WANEP, Accra, Ghana- Adviser on Governance and intergovernmental Relations Ambassador Mussie Hailu, Regional Director of United Religions Initiative (URI) for Africa, Representative of URI to UN office in Africa, UNEPA, UNECA, UN-Habitat and AU-Adviser on Interfaith, interreligious and Intercultural Issues Mr. Michael Sudarkasa, Esq., Africa Business Group, Johannesburg, South Africa-Adviser Private Sector and Economic Relations Ms. Evelyn Joe, African Union Diaspora Organisation, USA- Adviser on Diaspora Relations
According to the AUC Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, “other than the Burundi Court, all interpretations of the constitution & Arusha Agreements are clear that there should- Further reading: http://pages.au.int/ecosocc/ n't be a third term”. She went further saying events/appointment-five-special-advisers-assist“Elections must take place in a conducive envi- ecosocc-implementation-its-mandate ronment. The environment in Burundi is not conducive for elections”. Further reading: http://reliefweb.int/report/ burundi/ocha-eastern-africaflash-update-1elections-crisis-burundi-and-regional-impacts or
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AU Weekly
Understanding the African Union Department of Peace and Security Mandate The Peace and Security Department (PSD) of the Commission of the African Union provides support to the efforts aimed at promoting peace, security and stability on the continent.
The Department’s core objectives are to:
Implement the Common African Defence and Security Policy (CADSP) Operationalise the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) Support efforts to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts Promote programmes for the prevention of conflicts Implement the AU’s Policy Framework on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Coordinate, harmonise and promote peace and security programmes in Africa, including with regional and international partners.
The Department’s divisions are:
Conflict Prevention and Early Warning;
Conflict Management and Post-Conflict Reconstruction;
Peace Support Operations;
Defense and Security;
PSC Secretariat.
The Department oversees the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism.
Commissioner: Smail Chergui Director: El-Ghassim Wane
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AU Weekly
Upcoming Events May
08-15
Event:
Trade Experts Meeting
Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Contact: Mr. Batanai Clemence Chikwene, Trade Policy Officer Email: ChikweneB@africa-union.org
June
07-15
Event:
25th African Union Summit
Venue: Pretoria and Johannesburg S.A Contact: http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit/accreditation
The Summit will be, as usual organized in 3 steps:
The Permanent Representatives Committee, PRC (Ambassadors): June 7 - 8 in Pretoria (O.R. Tambo Building) The Executive Council, EC (Ministers of Foreign Affairs): June 10 - 12 in Johannesburg (Int’l Conf Centre) The Assembly of the AU (Heads of State and Government): June 14 - 15 in Johannesburg (Int’l Conf Centre )
Follow us on: Facebook - Oxfam International Liaison Office with the African Union: OI-AU Twitter - twitter@oxfam_AU Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this publication are solely those of the media source and do not represent Oxfam’s views
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