AU Weekly March 27th 2015 final

...keeping you updated March 27th, 2015

HIGHLIGHTS General Events  

Africa and Arab in Partnership “My African Union” Campaign Launched

Economic Justice 

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Progress in Implementation of Infrastructure Projects Discussed AUC and FAO Discussed Sustainable Forest Management in Africa Initiative to Encourage and Facilitate Free Movement within Africa

Peace and Security 

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Understanding the AU 

Social Justice  

Pan-African E-University in Process Japan Donates USD 3.2 Million to the AU

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1st African Girl Summit to beHeld

Governance

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Election Observers Deployed to Nigeria Women in Parliaments Summit

Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture

Upcoming Events 

Gender Justice

Purported Report on South Sudan by the African Union Commission Sudan and South Sudan Boundary to be Demarcated

18th COMESA Summit 11th CAADP Partnership Platform The 8th Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Finance Africa Climate Resilient Infrastructure Summit (ACRIS)

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General Events

“My African Launched

Credit: AUC

Africa and Arab in Partnership A three-day Technical Consultative Meeting between the African Union Commission and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States was held on March 17th 2015 in Cairo, Egypt. They reviewed the draft Concept Notes and Terms of References of the 4 Joint Sectorial Working Groups on Transport, Trade and Investment, Communication and Energy. The draft Terms of References will be presented to the 8th Senior Officials Meeting of the Coordination Committee planned to be held in August 2015, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Union”

Campaign

“My African Union”, campaign was launched on March 17th 2015 by The “State of The Union” (SoTU) calling on African citizens to add their voices to issues faced by the continent and to claim the implementation of the AU decisions. Mrs. Habiba El Mejri Scheikh Director of Information and Communication Directorate in her remark underlined the effectiveness of AU cooperation with civil societies and called on key partners to enhance, consolidate the communication channels and create awareness within the continent.

Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/ content/launch-my-african-union-my-voicecampaign-addis-ababa-ethiopia

Further reading: http://pages.au.int/cairo/ events/africa-arab-partnership-meetings

Credit: SOTU

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Economic Justice AUC and FAO Discussed Sustainable Forest Management in Africa

Credit: AUC

Progress in Implementation of Infrastructure Projects Discussed A two day meeting of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Steering Committee was concluded by the African Union Commission, NEPAD Agency, representatives of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other strategic partners on March 13th, 2015 in Midrand, South Africa. They discussed Africa’s engagements in recent global development processes such as the TICAD and the Forum for China Africa Cooperation and key recommendations for successful implementation of PIDA at national, regional and continental levels.

AUC Director for Infrastructure and Energy Mr. Aboubakari Baba Moussa, acknowledged the integration efforts made by RECs and emphasized the evaluation of achievements and implementation of PIDA projects by the committee.

On the occasion of International Day of Forests on March 20th 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, The African Union Commission (AUC), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), reviewed the benefits of forests and raised awareness on the dangers facing the global forest especially in developing countries.

Ms. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) called for control in deforestation and forest degradation which accounts for about 18 per cent of global emission of carbon oxide averting further global warming.

Further reading: http://rea.au.int/en/content/ celebration-international-day-forests-idf

Initiative to Encourage and Facilitate Free Movement within Africa A roundtable on Intra-regional Migration and Labour Mobility within Africa took place on March 23th to 25th 2015, in Kigali, Rwanda under the theme “Enhancing capacities of RECs and Member States to facilitate Intra-regional Migration & Labour Mobility for Regional Integration and Economic Cooperation in Africa”. The following were discussed during the meeting: joint initiative to encourage and facilitate free movement of people within Africa, improved awareness and understanding of the benefits of migration and labour mobility. They also evaluated issues of intraregional migration and mobility in Africa.

Further reading: http://sa.au.int/en/content/ roundtable-intra-regional-migration-and-labourFurther reading: http://ie.au.int/en/content/ mobility-within-africa-serena-hotel-kigali-rw pida-steering-committee-discusses-progressimplementation-infrastructure-projects-context -agenda-2063 Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this email are solely those of the media source and do not represent those of Oxfam

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Social Justice Pan-African E-University in Process Following the outcome of the First Task Force Meeting on the Pan African Virtual University which took place on March 17th 2015, Dr Martial de-Paul Ikounga AU Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology met with the Ethiopian State Minister for Communication and Information Technology Mr. Peter Gatkuoth Gey, on March 20th 2015 where they agreed to co-organize the 10th E-Learning Africa Conference scheduled for May 2015. This conference will provide a unique platform for the AUC to share the concept with Ministers and leading experts from across the continent and beyond, for critical review and contributions. The Pan-African E-University will operate through open distance and e-learning (ODeL) for the benefit of the African continent.

Credit: AUC

Japan Donated USD 3.2 Million to the AU

A sum of USD 3.24 million was donated to the African Union (AU) Peace Fund by the Japanese Government to support AU efforts to help eliminate Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa. This took place on March 18th 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Further reading: http://hrst.au.int/en/ AUC Commissioner Mr. Chergui acknowledged content/auc-and-ethiopian-government-agree and appreciated the Japanese Government for their continuous support to the AU’s endeavors to -co-organise-e-learning-africa-conferencepromote peace, security and stability in Africa. may-2015 or http://hrst.au.int/en/content/auc-hosts-firsttask-force-meeting-pan-african-virtualuniversity

Further reading: http://peaceau.org/en/article/ japan-donates-usd-3-2-million-to-au-peace-fundto-support-fight-against-ebola-commissioner-

Gender Justice 1st African Girl Summit to be Held The Government of the Republic of Niger will be hosting the First African Girls’ Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa scheduled for 26 – 27 November, 2015 in Niamey, Niger. This will bring together high level personalities from Member States, Heads of State and First Ladies, UN officials, women and girls, civil society organizations including community and religious leaders and other stakeholders.

Further reading: http://sa.au.int/en/content/republic-niger-host-first-african-girls-summitending-child-marriage-africa Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this email are solely those of the media source and do not represent those of Oxfam

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Governance Justice Election Observers Deployed to Ni- Women in Parliaments Summit geria Invited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, approved the deployment of an African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to the general elections in Nigeria scheduled for March 28th 2015. The Long-Term Observers (LTOs) led by Mr. Amos Sawyer was joined by 70 ShortTerm Observers on March 21st and 22nd from various African countries and the Pan-African Parliament to complement the work. .

Further reading: http://pa.au.int/en/content/africanunion-redeploys-election-observers-nigeria

The Women in Parliament Global Forum Annual Summit 2015 was held on March 23rd -25th 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “New Leadership for Global Challenges”. The AUC used this event as an opportunity to push further the agenda on increasing women’s participation in decision making and politics, with Parliament as one key area where the numbers of women need to be increased.

Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/content/ female-parliamentarians-all-continents-meetafrican-union-3-day-summit

Peace and Security Purported Report on South Sudan by Sudan and South Sudan Boundary the African Union Commission Will be Demarcated th The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on March 16th 2015 clearly confirmed that the recent circulation of what is purported to be the leaked report of the African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan is not that of the AUC. She reassured the public, especially, the South Sudanese citizens that the report has not been released to anyone but will be released as soon as the AUPSC makes a decision on its release.

Further reading: http://www.au.int/en/content/ report-au-commission-inquiry-south-sudan-notyet-released-au-commission-chairpersonreassure

An agreement was signed on March 20 2015 in Addis Ababa by the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan in the presence of representatives of the African Union Border Programme (AUBP) to establish an Escrow Account to meet the cost of demarcation of the boundary between the two States. It also adopted the final list of the members of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) and the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Joint Demarcation Committee (JDC) to manage and supervise the boundary demarcation exercise.

Further reading: http://peaceau.org/en/article/ sudan-and-south-sudan-conclude-the-thirdmeeting-of-their-joint-border-commission

The monthly Chair of the Peace and Security Council for April is Mozambique Disclaimer: Views or articles presented in this email are solely those of the media source and do not represent those of Oxfam

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Understanding the African Union Get more inside of the AUC by discovering the department below.

Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture Background The department comprises of three divisions namely:  The Agriculture and Food Security Division: It facilitates the implementation of the CAADP agenda, strengthens the resilience of African food production system through the value chain approach in the context of climate change and facilitates the harmonization of agricultural policy and knowledge support in synchrony within the Framework of CAADP.  Environment and Natural Resources Division: This division is geared towards the facilitation of actions and programmes in Africa designed to achieve sustainable development of Member States across the continent.  Rural Economy Division: This focuses on actions to promote an enabling policy environment and mobilize political support and financial resources for achieving improved performance of the rural economy.

Mandate The mandate of the department is to initiate and promote policies and strategies that can contribute to the development of rural economy, particularly through improvement of agricultural productivity and growth of the sector as a whole. It is also charged with promoting measures that will contribute towards enhancing environmental sustainability.

Core Functions: a. To promote and coordinate strategies as well as initiatives for development of the African rural economy among the RECs and specialised institutions and centres working in this field; b. To initiate, propose and coordinate policies and programmes for the development of production capacities (agriculture, livestock, and fisheries) with the aim of ensuring food security in the African continent; c. To promote and facilitate development initiatives of rural communities, as well as coordinate efforts towards transfer of technologies; d. To organise and provide technical assistance to specialised institutions in the fight against desertification, drought and management of natural resources and environment; e. To coordinate RECs in their efforts towards harmonisation of initiatives to eradicate poverty and alleviate conditions faced by rural women and rural communities such as those pertaining to infrastructure and energy and processing of agricultural products by small-scale producers; f. To ensure effective and constructive participation of the Commission in regional and continental efforts towards sustainable development of the rural economy, as well as uplifting the standards of living and production capacities of rural communities; g. To follow up agricultural policies and strategies at RECs level and to promote their harmonisation; h. To organise and ensure participation of the Commission in agricultural research and the propagation of extension services in African countries; i. To initiate studies on climate change as well as promote collaboration among Member States in these activities; j. To initiate and coordinate cross-border water management projects.

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UP Coming Events

March

09-31 March

Event: 18TH COMESA SUMMIT Venue: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA Contact: http://www.au.int/en/content/18thCOMESA_SUMMIT Event: 11th CAADP Partnership Platform Venue: Johannesburg, South Africa.

25-27 Contact:

http://pages.au.int/caadp/events/11th-caadp-partnership-

platform-march-25-27-johannesburg-south-africa

March

Event:

The 8th Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

25-31 Venue: April

27-29

UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contact:

Tel: (+251-11)5543556: E-mail: uncc-aa@uneca.org

Event: Venue: Contact:

Africa Climate Resilient Infrastructure Summit (ACRIS) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.enticoevents.com/acris/

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