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STATEMENT
BY
H.E. Dr. Nkosazana C. Dlamini Zuma
Chairperson of the African Union Commission

SPECIAL SUMMIT OF THE AFRICAN UNION
ON HIV/AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA

Abuja, Nigeria
15 July 2013

Your Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
Your Excellency, Mr. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the African Union;
Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;
Heads of Delegation;
First Ladies;
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, representing His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations;
Mr. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director and UNAIDS
Honorable Ministers;
Heads of AU and UN Organs;
Members of the Permanent Representatives Committee;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;

I am honored and privileged to join in welcoming you all to this Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria taking place in the beautiful city of Abuja. I wish to sincerely express my personal appreciation and that of the African Union Commission to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan not only for hosting this important event, but also for his commitment to the overall wellbeing of the people of this continent.

We are also appreciative of Your Excellencies’ taking time off your busy schedules to attend this special Summit.

The theme of this Special Summit is “Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Responses in Africa: Past, Present and Future’’.

The theme is very appropriate for two reasons: First, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria remain major causes of morbidity and mortality in Africa. They continue to pose serious challenges to socio-economic development in the continent.

Second, the ongoing celebration of the 50th Anniversary of our continental organization, the Organization of African Unity (OAU)/African Union with the theme: “Pan Africanism and African Renaissance”, provides us with an opportunity to take stock of the key milestones of the past 50 years and to plan and protect current generations and those yet to be born. Thus, at this special summit, we can identify our achievements, gaps and future challenges and map out the future for the control and eventual elimination of these diseases.

Special summits on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria have been held here in Abuja: in 2000, 2001, and 2006 and decisive commitments were undertaken by our leaders, including scaling up and accelerating universal access to prevention,treatment, care and support for HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria services by 2015. We now need to scale up the implementation of these commitments.

Excellencies
Significant progress has been made by Member States towards universal access to health services in general and HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria in particular.

The annual number of people newly infected with HIV in Africa has fallen by 25% since 2001, and the number of people who died of AIDS-related causes in 2011 was 32% lower than in 2005. We therefore need to step up actions to ensure that there are no new HIV infections.

Since 2001, nearly 13 million people in Africa have been reached with TB treatment. There are also encouraging signs in the effort to prevent new cases of malaria: the burden of Malaria in Africa is down by one third and eight countries have already achieved the targeted reduction of 75% in Malaria incidence since 2000.

There is no doubt that our leaders’ commitments, and the support of our international partners have paid off. In this regard, the AU Roadmap on Shared Responsibility and the Global Solidarity of July 2012 has the potential to enable us to control and eliminate these diseases, if well implemented.

Excellencies
Even though we are making progress, Africa still remains off-track in reaching the MDG target of halting and reversing the global TB epidemic by 2015, and is the only continent not on track to achieve a 50% reduction in TB mortality.

For malaria, Africa remains the continent most heavily affected, with severe effects on maternal and child health. Even though malaria is cheaply preventable and curable in Africa, it continues to kill, on average, a child every 30 seconds! And this is totally unacceptable!

Excellencies
One of the greatest challenges we need to address is the dependency of many national responses to AIDS, TB and Malaria on external financing and foreign produced medicines. In the case of HIV, for example, over 60% of continental investment is mobilized externally and over 80% of treatment is imported.

We therefore need to accelerate the implementation of the earlier “Abuja Commitments”, stepping up the mobilization of domestic resources and strategies for innovative financing to strengthen the health systems. Access to health is a fundamental human right for all and should include community access to:

• Nutrition
• Information and systems to promote good health in addition to comprehensive and affordable basic health services.

Today we have the unprecedented opportunity to lay the foundations for ending the HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB epidemics in Africa in the context of the post-2015 Development Agenda, the new AUC Strategic Plan 2014-2017, and the African Union Agenda 2063. Efforts to accelerate and sustain progress in the response to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, should be people-centered, grounded in human rights, gender equality, global solidarity, mutual accountability and solidarity with vulnerable and marginalized groups.

We must embrace proven and cost-effective measures, including micronutrient supplementation for countries who deem it fit for the use of DDT, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, breastfeeding and intervention to improve basic health care. There is also need to sustain information campaign on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and help increase young people’s access to youth friendly, gender-sensitive health services that provide voluntary testing and counseling.

Of course, nutrition is of paramount importance because malnutrition, as in the case with many other diseases, would impair the immune system of the victim, thereby exacerbating the health condition. In addition to this, it is to be highlighted that the treatment also requires healthy, good and sufficient nutrition to minimize the side effects of the medication. Special efforts should also be made to provide necessary assistance to women when strategies are being developed to combat these challenges, in line with existing global and regional commitments on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria. This includes implementation of the Harare Call to Action and the Abuja Commitment to Accelerating Progress for Women and Girls Communique championed by the Global Power Women Network Africa, amongst others.

Everyone knows that ending AIDS, TB and Malaria is not going to be easy, not going to be quick, and not going to be cheap. It is a huge investment. Like the investment in the eradication of smallpox, it is an investment that is absolutely guaranteed to bring enormous returns.

Excellencies
Before I conclude, let me reiterate the importance of research in contributing to eliminate HIV/AIDS infections and sexualy transmitted infections. In line with the expression of the commitment of the 2nd High Level Meeting Communique of the Global Power Women Network Africa “we are committed to promoting safe, ethical, and beneficial gender-sensitive research that aims at addressing the vulnerabilities of women and girls to ending HIV/AIDS infections and sexually transimitted infections, amomh other diseases”.

I am confident that this Summit will further accelerate the continent’s response and efforts towards eliminating these diseases by ensuring universal access to services, strengthening health systems, especially for the poor and the most marginalized people. Progress must be faster over the next few years.

It is time for action and the final push!

I thank you.

Opening Statement by H.E. Erastus Mwencha
Deputy Chairperson of the African Union
at the Executive Council

Abuja, Nigeria

14 JULY 2013

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PROTOCOLS
It is a privilege for me to address the Executive Council at this Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. I wish to express my gratitude to the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the initiative of hosting this important Summit and for the hospitality extended to all participants. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my personal appreciation to H.E President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his continued commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Indeed this beautiful city of Abuja will occupy an important place when the history of the fight against these three diseases is narrated.
Since 2000, Africa has kept the fight against these diseases high on its national, continental and international agendas. Three special summits were convened and commitments adopted in Abuja, Nigeria on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria with AWA driving the African leadership. These were subsequently turned into actions at national level, with the commendable support of the international community. The diseases had been declared as a state of emergency and a threat to security in Africa – sad to note that these concerns are still very pertinent today.
We have come a long way in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria. It is a war that we have fought very well and achieved significant successes. Nearly every country in Africa has success stories to tell of lives saved through preventing new HIV infections including a drastic reduction in mother to child transmissions, and preventing AIDS-related deaths, as well as morbidity from Tuberculosis and Malaria. More than 5 million Africans are receiving antiretroviral treatment – up from only 50 000 a decade ago. HIV infections associated with TB is a major problem with nearly half of the TB patients being HIV positive. About 60% of TB estimated are detected, notified and treated. Malaria mortality in Africa has fallen on the average by more than 33% and in some countries by about 50% since 2000. Indeed we are moving towards achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria services as envisaged in the Abuja Call 2006, and I am happy to note that some of our Member States may achieve universal access by 2015.
However, we still have many battles to fight. Like any other war situation, success should not be followed by complacency. Africa should be more vigilant and improve on its performance, reduce chances of new infections and ensure universal access to HIV, TB and Malaria services. Health is a fundamental right to which every citizen is entitled. As leaders, we have an obligation to make this a reality. The AIDS, TB and Malaria response is a long-term investment, as millions of Africans will need access to prevention and treatment Programmes for their entire lives. We need to provide national innovative solutions to financing and drug production, as we cannot continue to rely heavily on external funding for health in Africa. We must constantly bear in mind that investment in Health is an investment in economic development.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen
As we look towards post 2015 development agenda, we need to resolve to take action towards the elimination of these three diseases. We have the resources, we can access the technology and the know-how to end this scourge. At this Summit, it will be critical for us to set very clear targets, as well as how to achieve these targets towards the elimination of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.

I wish to thank all the Member States that have come and preparations made towards achieving this agenda in preparation for the Assembly on Monday.

I thank you and wish you successful deliberations.

Statement by H.E. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture on the Occasion of Opening the Workshop for Developing the Strategic Plan and Operational Plan of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia,
8-12 July 2013

You are all most welcome to this important Retreat. I wish in particular to welcome the new members of staff.
I would like to thank the Director and the organizing team that put together this important retreat. It is good foresight to get this Retreat following on the one we held in South Africa in November last year. When we come together in strategic focusing we look at issues like: what is the unity of purpose? Why are we here? But before getting into strategic focusing, it is important to get closer together so that when we go back, we go as a family.
It is encouraging to see that we keep promoting one another, we keep building capacities where they are needed and especially welcoming the new members of staff who have just joined us. They need a bit more mentoring so as not to get shocks from the new setting. Leaders need to try as much as possible to bring them at par with everyone of you.
Over the week end, a TV Programme called The Undercover Boss was featured whereby the boss was going around the workplace pretending to be an intern, worked with the workers and saw them toil the whole day without rest. Other managers were also brought in disguised in beards and wigs. After that experience, they were called to discuss what they had observed. Many workers were shocked to learn that their managers had been with them all along. Among the lessons learnt were that managers should not start by blaming their workers but by first appreciating the positive elements and then brining up the difficulties but also in a constructive manner by way of coming up with policies for improving the conditions of work.
I wish, therefore, to commend all the members of staff of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, both those at the Headquarters and in the Specialised Technical Offices for their contribution and continued commitment to advancing DREA’s strategic areas of intervention, notably: agriculture, food security and rural development and environment and natural resources management.
I need not remind you of the vision of the African Union within which that of the Department falls. As you know, the vision of the AU is that of ‘an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena’. We need to interprete the AU vision and ask ourselves questions whether we are focusing o what the African citizens aspire for and whether we are making them participate in the process of making Africa a dynamic force. And in line with this, DREA’s vision is that of ‘transformation of African agriculture that provides the basis for sustainable growth and prosperity, leading to food security and reducing poverty, reinforced by a more prudent management of the environment and natural resources, including proactive responses to climate change. We have to be action-oriented and results-oriented.
Since we last met in South Africa, what have we accomplished and what have we not achieved, and why not. We should try to fill the gaps.
Further, many decisions have since been made by the AU Policy Organs in May 2013, and we need to read, understand and reflect on the content of the decisions and how to translate them into actions.
Among the decisions are the EXCL/Dec.768 (XXIII) and Assembly/AU/Dec.476 (XXI) on the Strategic Plan of the African Union Commission 2014-2017 and the AU Agenda 2063 ‘A Shared Strategic Framework for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development’, where DREA has contributed input and is expected to input further but more important for this Workshop, for DREA to pursue its efforts and developing its own departmental Strategic Plan and Operational Plan.
I take good note of the work already underway by individual staff through their respective Divisions and Offices to develop and refine workplans.
We also need to reflect on the implications on DREA of the Solemn Declaration EXCL/Dec.782(XXIII) that has important areas that include those under DREA purview at Section D of the Declaration on social – economic development agenda:
- Sub-para (iv) on private sector engagement: where the work that DREA is doing with Grow Africa and AFRACA would fall;
- Sub-para (v) on natural resources where the work of ENR would feature,
- Sub-para (vii) dedicated to agriculture, agribusiness, hunger, nutrition and food security; and
- Sub-para (ix) on climate change and other aspects.
In line with this, I would also like to refer to among others, EXCL/Dec.767 (XXIII) Budget para 16 where US$1.95 million was dedicated for our activities for CAADP at 10 and the AU Year 2014 for Agriculture and Food Security, as part of DREA’s engagement on the year-long series of activities lined up for the OAU/AU 50th Anniversary commemoration. We need to prepare adequately for the desired success to be registered.
It is also important to keep in mind the need to prepare in good time and thoroughly for the upcoming high-level engagements such as CoP19 of the UNFCCC, CoP11 of UNCCD, UNGA, the Africa-Arab Conference of Ministers of Agriculture etc and also furthering our partnerships in our multiple sectors. At this juncture, I wish to thank you for the hard work put in the successfully concluded High-level Meeting o Eradicating Hunger in Africa. Lessons learnt in this exercise need to be applied in preparing for the upcoming events to avoid fire-fighting.
As we set our priorities, let us bear in mind that having a Strategic Plan should give us enough foresight to forestall a situation in future where if not well planned and anticipated, we end up with a host of urgent, important, emerging issues that may displace our set priorities and derail our delivery. The Strategic Plan and Operational Plan we are developing is for our Department with nth framework of the AUC’s Strategic Plan. We should take our department as a family. Let us not plan, each for oneself but plan for the future of Africa, plan for sustainable development, in a manner that will stand the test of time and avoid adhocism.
I look forward to lively interactions, open, analytical, frank in-depth discussions to generate productive outputs.
I now declare this Workshop officially open.

DRAFT STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISION ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

Excellences:

On behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, I have the distinct honor to bring to the Government and People of the Republic of South Sudan the congratulations and well wishes of the Commission on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of independence of the Republic of South Sudan.

Excellences:

The Chairperson applauds His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his Government for their dedication in confronting the challenges in the building of the young Country of South Sudan during these past two years. The Chairperson acknowledges the very difficult challenges, as well as the courage with which you have confronted them.

The Chairperson also conveys her appreciation to Excellences the Presidents and representatives of participating Governments in today’s celebrations: the Republics of Botswana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and of the Chair of the African Union, Ethiopia. It is our belief that your attendance is an expression of the Union’s solidarity and commitment to accompany South Sudan in its path to development.

Excellences:

The presence of so many dignitaries and the throng of South Sudanese, communicates further appreciation of the efforts of their leadership, but it is also an expression of the expectation that this leadership will continue to approach governance with the desired urgency, bearing in mind the singular objective of the welfare of the people of South Sudan.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The African Union Commission remains mindful that many of the challenges of the past two years are yet to be resolved. However, the Commission is encouraged that these tests are not insurmountable. We have followed your gallant efforts to address existing risks to State stability, such as communal violence, cattle raiding, militia activities, refugee influx, and even the environment.

We have also observed your efforts to foster harmony through a national peace and reconciliation commission. We recognize your work to plant as a fundamental, a national constitution, towards which you are currently reviewing the transitional national constitution that has governed national life since 2011. In line with this principle we have observed with commendation the formation of a national electoral commission to guide all your electoral processes, and plans for nationwide census in 2014 to aid development planning, equity in governance, and in the distribution of national resources.

We applaud you for the successes you have achieved and encourage you not to be daunted by seeming obstacles. In these nation-building endeavors, the African Union will remain with you and avail its institutional resources and capacities to assist you attain your goals.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentleman:

As the newest of its Members States, the African Union also remains close in how South Sudan builds and strengthens its relationships with neighbors, in particular Sudan. The Union immersed itself with the country, more deeply during the past three years, dating back to the period immediately preceding the independence of South Sudan, with a particular focus on relations with Sudan. The AU’s focus has alsways been, and remains, the fostering of two viable states, recognizing that the historical linkages between the two states cannot be broken, and the peoples’ of these two sisterly countries will forever be bound together.

In these efforts, the Commission commends the tireless efforts of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel which, under the leadership of Their Excellences Thabo Mbeki, Abdusalami Abubakari and Pierre Buyoya, have worked unstintingly for four years to promote this noble end of mutual viability and harmonious co-existence.

The Commission remains fully conscious of the linked but surely needless challenges confronting the implementation of the Cooperation Agreements. For example are the sadly avoidable events in Abyei that continue to hold hostage recent and long-standing agreements for reaching a final solution to this contested territory.

The situation casts a bad light on one of the distinguishing features of South Sudanese and Sudanese identities: openness and accommodation both to diversities and homogeneity. Thus, how Abyei is handled will stand as a test to the two States – to distinguish your commitment to pluralism and diversity.

Second, is the preventable impasse over issues of the buffer zone agreed by the two states as an interim measure while the issue of the dispute over your common boundary is resolved. Advanced by charges and counter-charges of support to proxies, this matter sadly is stalling the mechanisms for establishing the boundary, affects effective production of oil and needed revenues, and threatens your two peoples’ aspirations for co-existence.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Nonetheless, the African Union, the Continent, and the partners of both States of South Sudan and Sudan still stand with you, mindful that these challenges are only temporary. We will not abandon unto you the challenges you both face, as peace between you is a positive force desired all throughout your neighborhood in Eastern Africa and the Horn, to contribute to the attainment of the important regional and African objectives of stability and development.

Excellency, Mr. President:

It is in this regard that we feel confident by the recent goodwill outreach of South Sudan to Sudan, to mend the difficult relations. The reciprocal hand of reconciliation extended to Juba by Sudan illustrates the spirit that the African Union hopes will be nurtured by your two States in the years ahead, as a further stalemate simply will return us to an unnecessary brink, and reverse the gains we have achieved.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen:

With these remarks I take the opportunity once again, on behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to wish the Government and People of the Republic of South Sudan a joyous second anniversary of independence and prosperous year ahead. I also reiterate the AU’s commitment to walk with you as you move along the path to peace and prosperity.

South Sudan O Yeeeh!

I thank you!

Statement by H.E. Dr. Aisha L. Abdullahi, Commissioner for Political Affairs delivered on the Occasion of 29th Abant International Forum: “Africa Between Experience and Inspiration” Organized by the Abant Platform - Abant Bolu, Istanbul, Turkey, 28 June 2013