News & Events

Event

AU Commission Chairperson commiserates with families of South Sudan plane crash

5 November 2015

Press Release Nº326/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 5 November 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has expressed commiseration with the victims and families of the dozens of people who lost their lives in the plane crash in Juba, South Sudan, in the morning of Wednesday 4 November 2015.

“News of this terrible tragedy came as a shock as we are still in the process of mourning the victims of the Russian airliner that crashed over the weekend”, Dr Dlamini Zuma said. “And now, only a few days later, we stand in commiseration with the South Sudanese, Armenians and Russians once again. It’s my hope and prayer that we won’t have to deal with more calamities like this in the near future. My prayers are with the relatives of all those who were killed.”

The cargo plane, which crashed barely minutes after take-off from Juba’s International Airport, is said to have been carrying 18 people aboard; although the numbers still have to be confirmed. All the passengers were killed, save a little boy, and many more perished when the airline crashed into a farming community less than a mile from the airport, according to news sources.

Office of the Spokesperson of the Chairperson

African Union Commission

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

AU and South Africa sign Nuclear Energy Commission host agreement

4 November 2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 4 November 2015: The African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, signed, on Wednesday, 4 November 2015, the Host Country Agreement for the establishment of the Headquarters of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).

The Host Agreement will allow AFCONE and its Secretariat to function fully and effectively to implement the mandate of the African Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba), which entered into force in July 2009.

According to the AU Commission Chairperson, the African Commission on Nuclear Energy will play a key role in supporting sustainable development on the continent, notably in supporting key Agenda 2063 priority areas such as infrastructure, health, agriculture, industrialization and energy (amongst other priorities). The Chairperson of the Commission stressed the positive role that AFCONE will play in advancing the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.

On her part, the South African Minister for International Relations expressed the satisfaction of her government to host the Pan-African institution, noting the significant contribution towards the ultimate goal of achieving a world in which nuclear weapons no longer exist.

Following the signing, the Chairperson of the AU Commission seized the opportunity to call on all concerned States to ratify and accede to the Treaty of Pelindaba and its Protocols without further delay. She further expressed her appreciation to the Republic of South Africa for being graciously hosting of a number of other AU organs.

About the Treaty of Pelindaba

The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Pelindaba, was signed in Cairo, Egypt, on 11 April 1996 and entered into force on 15 July 2009.

The Treaty, for which the Chairperson of the African Union Commission is the depositary, prohibits the development, manufacture, stockpiling, acquisition, testing, possession, control or stationing of nuclear explosive devices in the Zone territory of States parties and the dumping of radioactive waste in the African Zone.

It also prohibits any attack against nuclear installations in the Zone by the parties and requires them to maintain the highest standards of physical protection of nuclear material, facilities and equipment, which are to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The Treaty has three Protocols. The first two commit States parties not to use or threaten to use a nuclear device against any territory within the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, as well as not to undertake, assist or encourage the testing of any nuclear explosive device anywhere within the Zone.

These two Protocols are open for signature by the five recognized nuclear-weapon States.

The third Protocol, which is open for signature by France and Spain, concerns the territories for which they are de jure or de facto internationally responsible, and which are situated within the Zone. The Protocol commits them not to contribute to any act that constitutes a violation of the Treaty.

About AFCONE

The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) was established by Article 12 of the Treaty of Pelindaba as the body responsible for, inter alia, ensuring States Parties compliance with their obligations under the Treaty and its Protocols and promoting regional and sub-regional programmes for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology.

In 2012 AFCONE adopted its programme of work which consists of four pillars focusing on: a) monitoring States parties' compliance with their Treaty obligations; b) nuclear and radiation safety and security; c) nuclear sciences and applications; and d) partnerships and technical cooperation with the relevant regional and international bodies.

The Secretariat of AFCONE will be located in Pretoria, South Africa, and will be headed by an Executive Secretary. AFCONE is financed by States Parties assessed contributions, as well as grants from international partners.

Event

AU Commission Chairperson expresses condolences to the families of crashed Russi

2 November 2015

Press Release Nº314/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 31 October 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has expressed condolences to the families of the 224 passengers who lost their lives in the Russian airliner that crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Saturday 31 October 2015.

“It is with deep sorrow that I extend sincere condolences to the grieving families who lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy”, Dr Dlamini Zuma said in a statement this morning. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ relatives and Africa joins the Governments and people of Egypt, the Russian Federation and other grieving nationalities in mourning this profound loss.”

The Russian passenger plane, flight KGL9268, is said to have been carrying holiday makers from the Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea resort in Egypt to the Russian city of St. Petersburg when it crashed into the central part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. All 224 people on board were killed, including 17 children, 7 cabin crew and three Ukrainian tourists.

Investigators currently believe the crash was precipitated by a mechanical fault which resulted in the plane crashing vertically into a mountainous region of the Sinai Peninsula. The Egyptian authorities have formed a committee to investigate the tragedy, according to a report released by the Prime Minister’s office.

Office of the Spokesperson of the Chairperson

African Union Commission

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

AU Commission Chairperson leaves for India to attend the third Africa-India Summ

27 October 2015

Press Release

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 27 October 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, leaves Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday 27 October 2015, for New Delhi, India, to attend the Third Africa-India Summit currently being held in New Delhi, India, and scheduled to last from the 26 to 29 October 2015. The objectives of the Summit include improving the existing diplomatic, political and economic partnership between African countries and India, in addition to increasing development cooperation between both parties.

The AU Commission Chairperson will be joining other African Heads of State and Government participating in the Summit in New Delhi.

“I am pleased to participate in this Summit, and welcome the opportunity to discuss ways of boosting the long-standing relationship between Africa and India, across specific sectors of comparative advantage, in line with Africa’s Agenda 2063,” Dr. Dlamini Zuma said before leaving the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Aside from participating in the Summit discussions, Dr. Dlamini Zuma will also hold bilateral meetings with some Heads of various delegations.

Over a thousand dignitaries and delegates have gathered in India’s capital city of New Delhi, including Heads of State and Government, Ministers, business leaders, Regional Economic Communities and other non-State actors.

The Africa-India Summit unfolds at three levels: the governmental level, the foreign ministries and finally senior government officials. The Senior Officials began meeting with their Indian counterparts, Monday 26 October 2015, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. The Summit ends on 29 October 2015, with the adoption of a final declaration of the Heads of State and Government.

Event

AU Commission Chairperson congratulates Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania for conduc

27 October 2015

Press Release Nº307/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 26 October 2015: The African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma congratulates the governments and the peoples of both the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the United Republic of Tanzania for holding serene and peaceful elections on 25 October, 2015.

The AU Commission Chairperson said the massive participation by the Ivoirians and Tanzanians in the general elections reflects their understanding of the importance of exercising their civic duty and fundamental rights. It is an indication of the maturation of the democratization process on the continent.

The regularity of conducting elections in African countries, and the active citizen engagement in electoral processes clearly demonstrate the citizens’ commitment to upholding the principles enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. This commitment enhances prospects for peace, political stability and development in Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania. It is adequately indicative that through the ballots, the guns will be silenced by 2020.

As the votes are being counted, the AU Commission Chairperson calls on all Ivoirian and Tanzanian stakeholders to respect the voice of the electorate, to remain calm, with the same serenity they demonstrated on the day of the voting. She urges all political actors to always put the interest of their country above all other interests.

The AU Commission Chairperson also reiterates the need for stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania to resort to officially recognised peaceful disputes resolution mechanism, should there be any election-related disputes.

For further information contact

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Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Speeches

H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Chairperson of the African Union Commission Stat

26 October 2015

H.E. DR. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION Statement on the occasion of

the launch of the

Board of IGAD Women and Peace Forum

Djibouti, 25 October 2015

Your Excellency Mr. Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti

Honourable Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Djibouti,

Honourable Mme Hasna Barkat Daoud, Minister for the Promotion of Women and Family Planning in charge of Relations with the Parliament,

Your Excellency Amb. Mahboub Maalim, IGAD Executive Secretary,

His Excellency Ambassador of the European Union

Excellencies, the women of IGAD, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very happy to be in Djibouti, I am glad I am here. I see now that it could be a missed opportunity.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today as IGAD launches the Board of Women and Peace Forum. Indeed, it was two years ago that IGAD launched its Gender Milestones, and it is a remarkable achievement since then that the Board of Women and Peace Forum, which is now taking place.

I am also happy to see many men here. It is only when we work with progress men we can achieve women’s rights.

This comes at a befitting time when we are celebrating the Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Agenda 2063, mid-way of the African Women’s Decade, 20 years since the Beijing Women’s Conference and the 15th Anniversary of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 that brought to the forefront women, peace and security’s agenda.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Across the world, the evidence is overwhelming about the impact that the empowerment of women and girls can and will have on the development and stability of their societies. We find this on a range of social and economic indicators, and that is why in our Agenda 2063 priorities, we emphasises the participation of women and girls. As well as in the SDGs that have just been adopted.

The priorities, which we have now elaborated into an action plan in the first 10 year Implementation plan, include investments in people - especially education, health and the provision of other basic services; it includes infrastructure development; the modernisation of agriculture and agro-processing and the development of manufacturing and beneficiation of our natural resources. We are also urging out Member States to look into the Blue Economy. In July 2015, we launched the African Decade of Oceans and Seas. I am sure Djibouti will take advantage of that. This is an area that women must take advantage of especially in actively participating in the Women in Maritime Association.

To achieve any of the above, we have to pay more attention to education and skills, the single most important factor in speeding up our development, and creating lasting peace. We must give our young people, boys and girls, and young men and women hope for the future. Education is an equalizer.

We are making progress in terms of women’s development, with twenty-three African countries now having more than 30% women in parliament (with Rwanda leading the world). The list - who were acknowledged as we introduced the African Gender Score Card at the June Summit of the AU in Johannesburg - also include IGAD countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan. I hope Djibouti will be in the scorecard soon.

In the year of women, we are committed to advance women and girls in every area of human endeavour: in education, science, technology, mathematics and research; in agriculture and agro-processing, as entrepreneurs and in the judiciary. We are also taking steps in addressing violence, in conflicts and in peacetime, as well as other harmful cultural practices against girls and women. In November there will be a Conference in Zambia that looks at Girls Marriage, in efforts to ensure that girls go to school instead of becoming brides.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

We are ever-mindful of the critical relationship between peace and development. Instability and violent conflict and war set back, and indeed destroy prospects for development and shared prosperity. In addition to the loss of lives, war displaces and destroys communities, family and individual assets, and interrupts access to basic services such as education and health.

The majority of countries in the continent today are stable, and this is mirrored in the fact that many social and economic indicators (growth, investments, children in education, maternal mortality and so forth) across the continent are moving in the right direction.

We must therefore remain resolute to implement our Agenda 2063, so that we transform our continent and ensure the creation of lasting peace.

Aspiration 6 of Agenda 2063 specifically focuses on ensuring the end of all forms of violence against women and that women are fully empowered to contribute to a people-driven Africa.

To transform the lives of girls and women, and indeed the creation of stable and prosperous communities, women need to be engaged and to become real agents for change.

Africa aspires to be a “Peaceful and Secure Continent with harmony among communities starting at grassroots level”. We all know the role of women within families and communities. Joining our efforts can only bear the fruit of change.

It is from this perspective that I see the launch of Board of IGAD Women and Peace Forum, providing a vehicle for women in the region to congregate their efforts.

Indeed, coming together will provide opportunities to strengthen solidarity between women’s groups, share experiences, increase collaboration and enhance capacity to interact with governments and regional organisations.

The African Union realises the critical importance of having women at the negotiating table during conflict. We all know that there is no war that has been started by a woman on the continent, but many conflicts with women bearing the most burden.

The voices of women must be heard more clearly and articulately in all endeavours to prevent conflicts and to build and sustain peace on the continent.

Excellencies, I also strongly believe that women are central to conflict prevention on the continent. They understand very deeply the impact that conflict have on education and health services, and on every other aspect of community and family life, since they so often have to bear the brunt of responsibilities during conflicts. They and their children fill the refugee camps, and they also have to take responsibility for the sick, disabled and the elderly as they flee from conflicts.

To ensure the protection of women, children and other civilians in situations of conflicts, we have assigned Officers in the various AU and regional Peace Support Operations to ensure that women's voices are heard and amplified, and that women participate in conflict resolution and peace building efforts. For the first time, we appointed an AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security. (I am sure most of you here know Mme Bineta Diop, whom we have entrusted with this responsibility.)

Most importantly, we must continue the campaign for women’s voices and participation during peacetime, as part of building stable, democratic and peaceful societies. I am sure that as we prepare for the next African Gender Score card for 2016, IGAD countries will do better on a range of different scores, such as education, health, political participation, women’s access to land, to name but a few.

The responsibility for the emancipation of women is not only the task of women, but of democratic-minded men and women alike. We must therefore work together to empower women and girls, and where their rights are being trampled upon, to address this together.

Excellencies,

In conclusion, we appreciate and support the efforts and work of IGAD to ensure lasting peace for the region, and to make its contribution to the pledge of our Golden Centenary, to silence the guns by 2020.

We also acknowledge the strides that many IGAD countries are making, including our host Djibouti to build shared prosperity, stable and inclusive countries and a prosperous and integrated region.

The IGAD Women and Peace Forum joins two other Forums that were created in the Great Lakes region and more recently in the Sahel Region. The African Union welcomes these initiatives and looks forward to working with them to ensure the recognition of the role of women in peace, and to strengthen our partnerships with regional bodies in our common journey towards the Africa We Want.

So congratulations to the IGAD women but also to the men who support this initiative.

I thank you

Directorate of Information and Communication

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

AU Commission donates USD 200,000 to Sahrawi Republic Floods Victims

26 October 2015

Press Release Nº302/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 25 October 2015: The African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has announced a USD 200,000 donation to alleviate the plight of flood victims in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Sahrawi Republic). The AU Commission Chairperson made the announcement following reports that over 10-days of torrential rains brought heavy floods that destroyed several public buildings, community centres, and homes of refugees in all the Wilayas of the camps.

Sending her good wishes to the people of Sahrawi Republic, while announcing the donation, Dr. Dlamini Zuma said that the amount will go towards providing urgent humanitarian assistance, particularly tents, food and medicine, given the potentially devastating impact of water-borne diseases resulting from water contamination.

For over 40 years, the Sahrawi refugees have lived in make-shift houses and tents while in exile owing to the illegal occupation of their country, Sahrawi Republic by Morocco. Decisions of the AU Assembly have consistently condemned this illegal occupation, calling for the right to self-determination of the people of Sahrawi Republic.
Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson, +251 911 201 632 or +251 934 996 893 Email: EnohebenJ@africa-union.org

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dic@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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Event

AU Commission Chairperson on official visit to Djibouti

24 October 2015

AU Commission Chairperson on official visit to Djibouti

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 24 October 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, arrives in Djibouti’s capital city in the Republic of Djibouti, on Saturday 24 October 2015, on an official visit. During the two-day official visit, the AU Commission Chairperson will pay a courtesy call on Djibouti’s President, H.E. Ismaïl Omar Guelleh on Sunday, 25 October at the State House.

The AU Commission Chairperson will on 25 October 2015, also deliver a statement at the launch of the Board of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Women and Peace Forum, at the Kempinski Hotel in Djibouti. The official launching ceremony will be presided over by Djibouti’s First Lady, H.E. Mrs. Kadra Mahamoud Haid.

The AU Commission Chairperson will also hold meetings with the national and IGAD authorities, and also address a Press Briefing at the end of the ceremony.

Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson, +251 911 201 632 or +251 934 996 893 Email: EnohebenJ@africa-union.org

For further information contact

Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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Event

The African Union and European Union re-affirm commitment to strengthen partners

23 October 2015

The African Union and European Union re-affirm commitment to strengthen partnership

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 20 October 2015: The African Union and the European Union have reaffirmed their commitments to strengthen their partnership. The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, reaffirmed these commitments as they discussed approaches to critical issues impacting both Africa and Europe.

They met in Addis Ababa, on Tuesday 20 October 2015, during the first official visit of the European Union High Representative and Vice President. The EU HR/VP also utilised the opportunity to address the AU’s Permanent Representative Council (PRC), and members of the diplomatic corps in Addis Ababa.

The bilateral dialogue, a follow up to the conversations held in Brussels in April in 2014, served as a route for devising a way forward with regards to the AU/EU partnership. The conversation was centred on issues of migration, peace and security, climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the benefits of regional cooperation and integration, among others. The AU Commission Chairperson took the opportunity to highlight the AU’s medium and long-term approaches in addressing the issue of migration, , highlighting the fact that when the youthful population migrates out of Africa it should be out of choice and not out of desperation.

During the bilateral discussions, Dr. Dlamini Zuma reiterated her position that the AU is keen to see a partnership not only “based on the exportation of natural resources from Africa to Europe”, but on “long-term investment and technology transfer, to boost industrialisation and job creation.”

On the issue of climate change, the AU Commission Chairperson affirmed that mitigation and adaption remain “central to the agenda”, and all parties “need to be accountable on the basis of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.” Dr. Dlamini Zuma further emphasised that efforts need to be centred on the generation of clean energy.

The EU HR/VP agreed that it is crucial to coordinate efforts in addressing the climate change problem, because no one is safe from the repercussions and all will suffer the consequences of inaction. She asserted that “concrete commitments” are needed to ensure that a deal is reached at the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP) to be held in Paris later this year. The EU Chief also mentioned that given all the work that is currently underway, she is “confident in the possibility of great results.”

On the matter of peace and security in Africa, Dr. Dlamini Zuma reaffirmed that cooperation is essential, because there is “never a guarantee that conflicts will not erupt, but we can take charge in our attempts to manage and solve them.” Here she cited the Ebola outbreak of 2014 and the collaboration that was necessary to contain it. Ms. Mogherini, concurring that “managing a crisis before it becomes conflict is the best approach”, stressed that African players must bear the main responsibility and take the lead, as local actors are critical to the prevention and containment of conflict.

In her keynote address, the EU HR/VP, after citing this quote by Nelson Mandela: “Africa is a region of vast untapped potential”, said that “making the most of Africa’s potential is the goal of the AU/EU partnership”. She also affirmed that Africa’s greatest natural resource is its people, and although Africa is already getting stronger, it will to do so even more markedly when it cashes in on its demographic dividend by 2025.

Ms. Mogherini also raised the question of whether or not the international community is willing to listen to Africa. According to the EU Diplomat, Europe is willing because “there is a new generation in Europe who is looking at Africa with new eyes”. She emphasised the need to focus on a common future, with the new question being “what can we do with Africa, what can we do together?”

Before the delivered of the keynote address, the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, Erastus Mwencha, welcomed the EU HR/VP on her first ever official visit to the AU. He highlighted various areas of cooperation between the AU and the EU, hailing the long-standing partnership between the two regional bodies and expressed AU’s gratitude for the support and assistance that the EU has been providing to the AU.

Directorate of Information and Communication

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

AU Commission Chairperson to donate South African of the Year Award winnings to

22 October 2015

Press Release Nº292/2015

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 21 October 2015: The African Union Commission Chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has announced that her winnings from the ANN7 South African of the Year (SATY) Award would be donated to the “Thusanani Foundation”, a youth-led education initiative based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The SATY 2015 Award to Dr. Dlamini Zuma came with an amount of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousands South African Rands, (ZAR 250,000), and equivalence of about USD 19,000.

Dr Dlamini Zuma said her motivations for donating her SATY Award winnings to Thusanani Foundation is in line with her strong conviction to support the youth training and skills development. “If sustained progress is to be made on the development of our continent, especially in light of the realisation of Agenda 2063 – The Africa we want, we must embark on and support the skills revolution,” Dr. Dlamini Zuma said.

“The Thusanani Foundation is a well-established, youth-based and led organisation, which is committed to promoting training, and education and bridging the education information gap between township/rural and urban kids”. Dr. Dlamini Zuma explained further. She went on to highlight the fact that the organisation was established by young people to meet the needs of other young people, concluding that “these are the sorts of actions and innovations I love to support because they are what Africa needs in order to march confidently into the future.”

The Thusanani Foundation, with an objective to provide “a holistic approach to youth development”, was created in 2011 with a mandate to “break the cycle of poverty through ensuring access and success in institutions of higher learning and sector specific/industry related skills development.” They also offer career guidance, mentorship and advisory services, peer to peer life skills development, information relating to higher education funding opportunities, etc.

The foundation targets students between grades 9 and 12 in South African township and rural high schools, as well as first and second year students in universities and technical colleges. They currently have partnerships with a number of South African Universities and other institutions of higher learning, including the Universities of Johannesburg and Witwatersrand. They have facilitated the enrolment of over 300 students in 10 institutions around the country, with over 180 enrolled in 2014 alone.

Dr Dlamini Zuma already provides a standing contribution of R1000 to Thusanani Foundation each month. And her hope is that this ZAR 250,000 from the SATY 2015 Awards will be used as seed money to establish an Endowment Fund for the Thusanani Foundation.

The ceremony to officially hand over the cheque to the Thusanani Foundation will be announced in due course.

Media contact:

Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson, African Union Commission; +251 911 201 632; +251 934 996 893; E-mail EnohebenJ@africa-union.org

Directorate of Information and Communication

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

Dr. Dlamini Zuma promotes UK-China investment in Africa

21 October 2015

London, UK – 21 October 2015: The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has arrived in London to promote the investment opportunities in Africa available to the governments, financial and business investors of the United Kingdom and China. Dr. Dlamini Zuma will be addressing a major event on, “UK-China-Africa: Collaboration for Investment and Growth”, at the Lancaster House in London on 22 October 2015.

The AU Commission Chairperson will present investment opportunities in Africa in line with Agenda 2063, particularly within growth-stimulating areas such as infrastructure development, human capacity development, energy and agriculture and agro-processing. The AU Commission Chairperson believes that these are prospective areas for collaboration between Africa, China and the UK.

Hosted by the UK Trade and Investment in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID), the principal objective of the event is, “to strengthen understanding of how the respective strengths of the UK and Chinese governments and private sectors can be most effectively combined, with the objective of stimulating investment and inclusive growth in Africa.”

The UK Secretary of State for International Development, Rt. Hon Justine Greening MP, and the Chairman of the China Africa Fund, Mr Chi Jianxin, will also address the forum. High-level representatives from African countries, China and UK industries, with special interests in African markets, including the agriculture, manufacturing, banking, construction, legal services and charity sectors, will also attend.

This event is organised in line with the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s State visit to the UK, during which the leaders will explore ways of how the governments, businesses and finance sectors can collaborate to strengthen delivery of growth and stimulate job creation in Africa.

Media contact:

Jacob Enoh Eben, Spokesperson of the Chairperson, African Union Commission; +251 911 201 632; +251 934 996 893 E-mail EnohebenJ@africa-union.org

Directorate of Information and Communication

Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Event

First visit of EU Foreign Affairs Chief, FedericaMogherini to the African Union

20 October 2015

Joint Media Advisory

First visit of EU Foreign Affairs Chief, FedericaMogherini to the African Union Commission

WHAT: The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission Federica Mogherini will Addis Ababa and hold discussions with Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), on the Africa–EU Partnership.

The EU high Official is expected to deliver a keynote address during her visit to the AU. Issues of migration, peace and security, women and youth, ways to stimulate growth and create jobs in line with the recently adopted Action Plan on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the Africa Agenda 2063,are expected to be addressed by the AUC Chairperson and the EU Foreign Affairs Chief.

WHEN: Tuesday, 20th October 2015.

TIME: 14:45

WHERE: African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Medium Conference Room)

PARTICIPANTS: AU officials and staff; EU Officials and staff; members of the Diplomatic Corps based in Addis Ababa, and invited guests.

BACKGROUND: The EU-Africa Summit of April 2014 in Brussels confirmed the commitment of both continents to the objectives set out in the 2007 Joint EU Africa Strategy and agreed the implementation of the Joint Strategy should be further improved. The Summit adopted a roadmap to frame EU-Africa relations covering five key priorities and areas for joint action:

• Peace and security

• Democracy, good governance and human rights

• Human development

• Sustainable and inclusive development and growth and continental integration

• Global and emerging issues

Journalists are invited to cover the visit of the EU Foreign Affairs Chief to the African Union on 20 October 2015.

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Media contacts:

Mrs Tankou Azaa Esther Yambou, Head of Information Division, Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission, Addis Ababa Ethiopia Tel: +251(0) 911361185, E-mail: YambouE@african-union.org

Mr Biruk Feleke, Press & Information Officer, Delegation of the European Union to the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (biruk.feleke@eeas.europa.eu).