4 APRIL 2018,
YAOUNDE, CAMEROON
Your Excellency the Minister of External Relations,
Your Excellency the Minister of Higher Education, Chancellor of Academic Orders,
Your Excellency the Minster of Finance,
Your Excellency the Minster of Sports and Physical Education,
The Rector of the University of Yaounde II, Soa,
Your Excellencies, Members of Government,
Inspector Generals of Service
Invited guests, Media
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the African Union and the African Union Commission Chairperson, H.E. Dr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the Republic of Cameroon for its unflinching support to the Pan African ideals, its proactive and exemplary role in the continent and its multi-faceted support to the African Union organs. My gratitude goes more especially to the Head of State, President of the Republic of Cameroon H.E. President Paul Biya for his visionary and wise leadership and to the Prime Minister, H.E. Philemon Yang, for his stewardship of the Government policy in favour of the continental initiatives. It is also my pleasure to recognize the following authorities for their contribution to the continental programs on hand today:
• The Honourable Minister of External Relations, HE Lejeune Mbella Mbella;
• The Honourable Minister of Higher Education, H.E. Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo;
• The Honourable Minister of Basic Education, H.E. Hadija Yusufa Alim;
• The Honourable Minister of Lands, Survey and State Property, H.E. Jacqueline Koum Abissike;
• The Honourable Minister for the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, H.E. Alamin Ousmane Mey;
• The Honourable Minister of Finance, H.E. Louise Paul Motaze;
• The Honourable Minister of Sports and Physical Education, H.E. Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt
I acknowledge your determination in following up the various Host Agreements and facilitating the procedures required for the finalizations and signing we did today.
I would also like to express my heart-felt appreciation to other Senior African Union officials and Cameroonian Government Officials for their all rounded support during the negotiation phase of the Host Agreements.
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
The African Union Commission remains highly indebted in gratitude to the Republic of Cameroon for having taken the bold step in hosting the Pan African University Rectorate, the African Monetary Fund, the African Union Sports Council and the Pan African University Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences.
AUC is cognizant of the efforts that the Republic of Cameroon deployed in availing the necessary infrastructure and facilities to these entities. The AUC renews its commitment to fully support the Republic of Cameroon in operationalizing the three entities whose Host Agreements have been signed today.
The signing of the three Host Agreement today is special because it is taking place barely a few days after the signing by 44 AU member States of relevant instruments for the Establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area. This is a major milestone in the operationalisation of a fully integrated and united Africa, in tune with the desire of Kwame Nkrumah and other founding fathers of the African Union, as rightly recalled by H.E Dr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) during the Kigali Summit.
Your Excellency, the African Union (AU) has created three financial institutions in a bid to accelerate integration of the continent namely the African Investment Bank (AIB), the African Central Bank (ACB) and the African Monetary Fund (AMF). During the 23rd summit of African Heads of States and Governments in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on 28th of June 2014, the African Union adopted the protocol and statute of the African Monetary Fund (AMF). The headquarter of African Monetary Fund is based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The African Monetary Fund is expected to play a catalytic role in speeding up African integration and it is incumbent up on the AU Member States to sign and ratify the protocol and statute of the AMF for its entry into force as soon as possible. It would be highly appreciated for Cameroon as a host of the AMF to be the first to ratify its protocol and statute.
I would also seize this opportunity to call upon Member States to ratify the CFTA to foster inter-African trade.
The AUC expresses its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Cameroon for demonstrating serious interest and commitment to host the Rectorate of the Pan African University and the immense resources it has committed to refurbish and furnish the Rectorate building.
The Government of the Republic of Cameroon further agreed to provide twelve (12) staff to the Pan African University Rectorate on Secondment arrangement for a period of two years. This speaks volumes about the commitment of your Government and its determination to make this continental project a success.
While appreciating the leading role played by your Government in the operationalization of PAU Rectorate and the Pan African University Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS), I would like to inform you that Africa counts on your continued support to the Pan African University in general so that the University becomes a centre of excellence for Higher Education and Research on the Continent. In this regard, the construction of buildings (office space, classrooms, library, conference halls, computer laboratories, etc.) for the Pan African University Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences () needs to be given priority.
Your Excellency, It is worth mentioning that AU Sports Council is a Specialized Technical Office of the African Union Commission in matters pertaining to the promotion and development of sport and sport for development in Africa.
Your Excellency, as we are all aware, the contribution sport can make to social and economic development of African Continent is multi-faceted. Sport is increasingly being recognized as a tool for supporting development efforts throughout the world. Sport is a key feature of the changing landscape of social –economic development across the Africa Continent and globally. Since Sport plays an important catalyst role in society, the signing of the host Agreement and full operationalization of the New AU Sports Council will accelerate African Union Commission and Member States efforts to coordinate and harmonize different Sports stakeholders in Africa and International Sport Organization to promote Sport development and Sport for development &Peace initiatives.
Your Excellency, as you are aware, the AU Sports Council inherited not only the assets of the former Supreme Council for Sport in Africa, but also its liabilities. In terms of assets, the AUSC is currently housed in a befitting office building put at the disposal of the former SCSA, located at the Bastos neighborhood in Yaoundé. While acknowledging the remarkable effort and support of the Government of Cameroon towards facilitating the full operationalization of AUSC office and implementation of its activities, it is our greatest trust that The Government of Cameroon in collaboration with AUC will continue to engage Members States to honor their commitment and to support this Organization, especially by settling their contribution arrears owed to former Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA), as this money will be used to clear the debts and benefits of some former employees of SCSA whereby many of them are Cameroonians .
It is significant that we are strengthening our cooperation and collaboration especially with the realization of the Agenda 2063. Together as key stakeholders we must work hard to operationalize the African Monetary Fund, the African Union Sport Council and the Pan African University Headquarters.
As I close my statement, I would like to reiterate the commitment of the AUC to make these Pan-African institutions fully operational and successful. Finally, I would like to express again my gratitude to the Head of State H.E. President Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon for making this African dream, Agenda 2063, the vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa a reality by hosting these prestigious African Union institutions relating to education, sports and finance for the benefit of the continent and its generations
Long live The Republic of Cameroon
Long Live The African Union,
Long live Africa.
Merci, Shukraan, Obrigado and I thank you and may God bless us.
