Events

Press Release No. 163/2015

The African Union Commission signs an MoU with the International Trade Center

15, July 2015 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Union Commission (AUC) signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to support a range of critical activities and programmes for the Department of Trade and Industry.

H.E. Mrs Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry and Ms. Arancha González, the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC)

The purpose of this MoU is to provide the framework for cooperation between the Commission and the ITC for developing and implementing programmes that support the priorities of the Commission as enunciated in the AUC Strategic Plan 2014-2017. Also, the Commission and ITC have a shared vision and mutual interest in sustainable economic and trade development through continued improvements in business practice, cross border partnership, and the creation of a supportive enabling environment in developing countries.

The Commission and the ITC have already partnered in the past, including in the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Geneva on 27 February 2007 for pursuing the objective of achieving sustainable economic and trade development and for establishing a framework of bilateral cooperation in the key selected areas. The original MOU expired in 2010 and discussions on the successor memorandum started in 2014.

The Current MoU focuses on six key priority areas where the ITC will add value namely:

- Facilitating trade and market intelligence for SME productivity and competitiveness;

- Supporting regional economic integration and South-South trade;

- Connecting trade to value chains, diversification and link to export markets;

- Strengthening trade and investment support institutions including labour market institutions;

- Promoting and mainstreaming inclusiveness and green trade;

- Building a conductive business environment and labour related trade policies.

This MoU will remain in force until 31 December 2018.

For more information, please contact: Mr. James Maringwa, Expert - Trade-Related Results Based Planning - Email: MaringwaJ@africa-union.org

Media contacts:

Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry – Tel: + 251 912 610 485 - Email: atchop@africa-union.org

For further information:

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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JOINT MEDIA ADVISORY
FRIDAYS OF THE COMMISSION

What: Fridays of the Commission

Theme: “The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 - The Future of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Africa”

The sessions will specifically focus on the following subthemes:
• AU Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (AUC-DREA)
• Outcome of Sendai Framework (UNISDR)
• Coherence between the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030 and other AU processes: AU Disaster Management Policy (DPA) and the AU CAP on Humanitarian effectiveness – AU DPA
• Key element of effective disaster response: lesson learned from the past responses (OCHA)
• Role of Women in Disaster Risk Management (Gender Directorate)

Who: The event is a collaborative initiative between The Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Department of Political Affairs, the UNOCHA Liaison Office to the African Union and Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

When: 3 July 2015

Time: From 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Where: African Union Headquarters, New Conference Centre, Small Conference Hall 1

Participants:
• Staff Members of the African Union Commission
• African diplomats at post in Addis Ababa,
• Researchers, and Academics and Think-Tanks in Addis Ababa,
• Members of the UN Liaison Team to the African Union,
• Members of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Sub-cluster (RCM)
• All other interested Parties
• NCPA (NEPAD Coordination and Planning Agency)

Objectives: The event aims:

- To popularize the Sendai Framework among a wide range of stockholders and discuss key follow-up actions to ensure effective implementation of the Framework across the Africa;
- To discuss key follow-up actions to ensure effective implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 across Africa;
- To reflect on the practical gender roles and the strategic gains for women and girls in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

Expected Output: The event seeks to create awareness and generate commitment for effective implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 on the Continent.

Background:

Africa is confronted by a range of natural and human-induced hazards and associated risks and disasters. Poverty, climate change, livelihood insecurity, and unplanned urbanization are among the drivers of risk influencing the level of resilience of people, communities, countries, and assets and amplifying the impacts of disasters on the continent. Despite global and regional efforts to address disasters and disaster risks, the human and economic costs of disasters have been increasing. It is in this context that Africa participated in the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction - WCDRR (14-18 March 2015, Sendai, Japan).
In Sendai, Africa was represented by a large constituency with several Heads of State, ministers and representatives of Member States, besides civil society and academic organisations and development partners.
The WCDRR culminated in adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, a successor to the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. Throughout the deliberations of the Sendai Conference, Africa delegates dwelt on the outcome of the 5th Africa Regional Platform and 3rd High-Level Meeting for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Abuja (Nigeria) on 13-16 May 2014, the summary statement of which articulated Africa’s contribution to the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster risk Reduction. Africa’s contribution drew on assessed progress towards the implementation of the African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Program of Action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015).
In the course of this year 2015, dedicated by the 24th AU Summit to “Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”, the African Union and its partners will participate in milestone events and processes including: the adoption of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), the Third Conference on Financing for Development (FFD3). At the same time, the African Union will formulate a Common Position of the World Humanitarian Summit (Istanbul, 2016) and agree with the United Nations on new cooperation framework, (the Framework for a renewed UN/AU Partnership on Africa’s Integration and Development Agendas –PAIDA) successor to the AU- Ten Year Capacity Building Programme.
In such context, this Dedicated Fridays of the Commission- Conference /Debate will bring together the African Union Commission and its partners to reflect on the following key questions:
1. What is specific to Africa in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030?
2. How will the African Union partner with the United Nations and the other international actors to strengthen its capacities to prevent and address natural and climate-induced disasters in Africa between 2015 and 2030?
3. What roles for women and gains for women empowerment in the implementation of the Sendai Disaster Risk Reduction Framework 2015-2030 in Africa?
Media representatives are invited to cover the meeting.

For any inquiry, please contact:
Dampha Almani | Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture | African Union Commission | Email: DamphaA@africa-union.org

Ledet Teka | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs-Liaison Office to the African Union and ECA | Email: Tekal@un.org

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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The African Union Commission participates in the Mining On Top Africa (MOTA) 2015

London, United Kingdom, June 25th 2015 – The Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission (AUC) participated on 24-26 June 2015, in the Mining On Top Africa (MOTA) in London under the theme “Connecting nations, investors and industry leaders to drive economic and social development in Africa through mining”. The African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) were the associate sponsors of the event.

Mining On Top Africa - London Summit is the most definitive African mining conference for Europe, uniting Minister’s from Africa’s most established and emerging mining economies with global mining executives, investors and service providers to connect and encourage greater stakeholder engagement that will enable Africa to meet its wider, social and economic development agenda through mining. It brings together all the stakeholders to chart the path for developing the continent’s rich mineral wealth to everyone’s benefit. The African Union Commission’s presence at the MOTA has been a priority this year, and provides an opportunity to showcase its activities through an exhibition stand and connect leaders in the extractives industries in both public and private sectors while encouraging continent-wide developmental growth through mining. Adopted by African Union (AU) Heads of State in 2009 and spearheaded by the African Mineral Development Centre (AMDC) since 2013, the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) initiative calls for a structural transformation of the minerals sector in Africa through enhanced linkages with the local economy, increased value addition, promotion of local content and empowerment, and a judicious and prudent use of mineral revenue to build up other forms of capital that can outlast the currency of mining.

Delivering the keynote address of the Summit on behalf of the Commissioner for Trade and Industry, H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, the Senior Industry Advisor, Mr. Frank Dixon Mugyenyi pointed out that major African treaties including the Lagos Plan of Action, the Abuja Treaty that established the Economic Community of Africa and the Constitutive act that established the African Union, all proclaimed that development in Africa could only be achieved by a decreased reliance on raw material extraction, industrialization and global equality in trade relations alongside an increase in development aid from the international community. “The Africa Mining Vision, therefore, mandates the African Union Member states to use their natural resources optimally in order to self-propel the much needed social and economic structural transformation that will lead to inclusive growth and sustainable development”, he emphasized. He reminded the participants that African Union Agenda 2063, which was adopted by the Heads of State and Government in January 2015, is an approach to how the continent should effectively learn from the lessons of the past, build on the progress now underway and strategically exploit all possible opportunities available in the immediate and medium term, so as to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation within the next 50 years.

Mr. Mugyenyi also recalled the need for strong and broad partnerships that has always been emphasized by several African policy organs and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who have all called on stakeholders to work together towards “shared benefits”. He finally called on partners and Member states to support the efforts made by the Africa Minerals Development Center (AMDC) in domesticating the AMV through the implementation of the Country Mining Vision at the country and sub-regional levels. “AU member states and partners including the private sector, need to encourage the ongoing AUC/AMDC efforts in key areas such as: geological data and information, developing and harmonizing coherent policies that support industrialization, inclusive growth and sustainable development, prudent legal and fiscal frameworks, building infrastructure, building the capacity of member states to be able to negotiate complex contracts, supporting artisanal miners and SMEs to be integrated in regional and global minerals value chains, establishing governance systems that ensure mutual transparency and accountability, stop illicit financial and capital flows so that mineral revenues can be used for development of Africa, among others”, he concluded.

In the spirit of continuing the conversation about the AMV, the African Union Commission and the African Minerals development Center also hosted an Evening Cocktail Reception with all the participants.

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For further information please contact: Mr. Frank Dixon Mugyenyi, Senior Industry Advisor, Email: MugyenyeF@africa-union.org

Media contact: Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry, Email: AtchoP@africa-union.org.

Towards One African Market

Next month Africa will take a bold step towards integration with the launch of negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area (the CFTA). A trader in Ghana with dreams of breaking into the faraway markets of East Africa will be one step closer to making his or her dream a reality. Presidents from all around the continent will gather together at the African Union’s Heads of State and Government Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa (from the 7th to the 15th of June) to launch negotiations that will lead to the establishment of a free trade area to span the continent. Now there’s a real urgency among Africa’s leaders to find ways to break down the barriers that separate their economies. As Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta passionately put it:

“There cannot be a good reason why it is easier for us to trade with Asia, Europe and the Americas, rather than with fellow Africans.”

That sentiment is echoed on the other side of the continent by H.E Mr. John Mahama, President of Ghana and Chair of the High-Level African Trade Committee:

“It was a dream of our founding fathers to create a continent where people can move freely (with) goods and services across the continent. Fast tracking the creation of a CFTA is the way to go”. -

Africa’s leaders have set 2017 as the deadline for establishment of the CFTA. Creating a free trade area among Africa’s 54 countries won’t be easy and will require an enormous amount of energy and effort but there’s a firm belief that for the continent to truly develop Africa must trade with Africa.

But it’s not just about trade.

The CFTA will help address many of Africa’s biggest challenges such as youth unemployment, skills development, women’s empowerment, industrialization and infrastructure development.

The African Union’s Trade Commissioner, H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, is inviting key members of the media to join her at the Summit to hear more about the launch of the negotiations of the CFTA and what this historic milestone means for Africa. The Department of Trade and Industry is assembling prominent delegates and African Union representatives for the media to interview. Commissioner Acyl says:

“The CFTA would bring together 54 African countries with a combined population of more than one billion and a combined gross domestic product of more than US$3 trillion. It would establish a single continental market
 for goods and services… help [ing] turn 54 fragmented and individual African economies into a larger and more coherent market.”

Contact information

Please contact the individuals below for further information and to set up interviews:

Batanai Chikwene (Trade Policy Officer, AU Commission): chikweneb@africa-union.org, +251 912 60 10 24

Joanne McNally (Media consultant to the AUC’s Trade and industry Department): joanne@markeddomedia.com or Telephone: +44 7767 787 656

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to register for the summit at http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit/accreditation

Further information

The Time is Now

The need for action on the CFTA is urgent. The world is changing with the countries in other parts of the globe joining Mega-Regional Trade Agreements (MRTAs), and that is reshaping the global trading system. Africa must act now, or risk being left behind. Research by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa shows that the establishment of the CFTA will better position the African continent vis-à-vis the rest of the world.

Never before have our challenges been so large. Africa faces a myriad of development challenges: high youth unemployment, a low-skilled workforce, and issues of international migration, widespread poverty, gender inequality, and limited industrialization.

At the same time, never have we had so many opportunities to capitalize on. The establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area will help combat these myriad challenges while taking advantage of the opportunities.

2017 is an Ambitious but Achievable Goal

The African Union is planning to conclude the negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by 2017. While we will have to overcome many challenges, we can achieve this goal.

We are not starting from scratch. Progress is already underway with the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), launching in June 2015, which includes 26 African countries, and the 15 countries of ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, which have already come together.

There are also significant gains that can be made by negotiating certain issues that have been less controversial. It is also possible for a coalition of countries to go forward with negotiations for more contentious issues and for other countries to join when they are ready. Ideally, all AU member states should participate in the negotiations and consider making commitments on specific issues as and when they are ready to do so.

And the CFTA has support a wide range of African leaders:

H.E Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the High-Level African Trade Committee:

“It was a dream of our founding fathers to create a continent where people can move freely and goods and services across the continent. Fast tracking the creation of a CFTA is the way to go”.

H. E. Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya:

“There cannot be a good reason why it is easier for us to trade with Asia, Europe and the Americas, rather than with fellow Africans.”

H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission:

“Our leaders believe in the potential of the CFTA to unleash substantive benefits for Africa’s socio-economic growth and development. Its establishment will significantly boost intra-African trade and investment, making it easier to move goods, services, and people around the continent. It will support 4 sustainable development, create jobs and empowering women, as well as strengthening the geopolitical position of Africa vis-à-vis the rest of the world.”

The CFTA by the Numbers:

54 countries
More than 1 billion people
Over US$3 trillion in total GDP
52% ($35 billion) increase in intra-African trade by 2022
6% increase in African exports

Other Benefits of the CFTA include:

Boosting intra-African trade:

The World Trade Organization estimates that intra-African trade in 2012 was about 12%. This is in stark contrast to much higher rates of intra-regional trade in more developed regions of the world: 60% in Europe, 40% in North America, and 30% in ASEAN.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) estimates that the CFTA could increase intra-African trade by $35 billion, or 52% above the baseline, by 2022.
It further estimates that agricultural and industrial exports would increase by $4 billion (7%) and $21 billion (5%) above the baseline, respectively.
“There cannot be a good reason why it is easier for us to trade with Asia, Europe and the Americas, rather than with fellow Africans.” – H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya

Increasing exports:

Africa’s share of global trade is only about 3%
UNECA estimates that in conjunction with ongoing initiatives, such as trade facilitation measures to reduce time and cost of trading, the CFTA would help increase Africa’s export volumes to the rest of the world by 6%.

Improving Africa’s political position via-a-vis the rest of the world:

UNECA has shown that the establishment of the CFTA will better position the African continent to negotiate in the multilateral trading system
“Research on the impact of these [Mega-Regional Trade] agreements on Africa is clear: We will be better positioned and better off if we move to establish the CFTA as quickly as possible.” – H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry

As part of the long-term vision of Africa:

The CFTA is a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063
“It was a dream of our founding fathers to create a continent where people can move freely (with) goods and services across the continent. Fast tracking the creation of a CFTA is the way to go”. - H.E Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the High-Level African Trade Committee.

As well as:

Increased food security through reduction of the rate of protection on trade in agricultural produce among African countries
Increased competitiveness of Africa’s industrial products through harnessing the economies of scale of a large continental market of about one billion people
Increase Contact information

Please contact the individuals below for further information and to set up interviews:

Batanai Chikwene (Trade Policy Officer, African Union Commission): chikweneb@africa-union.org, +251 912 60 10 24

Joanne McNally (Media consultant to the AUC’s Trade and industry Department): joanne@markeddomedia.com or Telephone: +44 7767 787 656

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to register for the summit at http://summits.au.int/en/25thsummit/accreditation

d rate of diversification and transformation of Africa’s economy and the continent’s ability to supply its import needs from its own resources
Better allocation of resources, improved competition and reduced price differentials among African countries.
Growth of intra-industry trade and the development of geographically-based specialisation in Africa
Reduced vulnerability of Africa to external trade shocks, and
Enhanced participation of Africa in global trade and reduced dependence of the continent on aid and external borrowing.

Contact information

Please contact the individuals below for further information and to set up interviews:

Batanai Chikwene (Trade Policy Officer, African Union Commission): chikweneb@africa-union.org, +251 912 60 10 24

Joanne McNally (Media consultant to the AUC’s Trade and industry Department): joanne@markeddomedia.com or Telephone: +44 7767 787 656

Nairobi, Kenya 27 May 2015: The African Union Commission attended the 35th Southern and Eastern African Mineral Centre (SEAMIC) Governing Council meeting on 27th May 2015. The meeting was hosted by the Government of Kenya under the Ministry in Charge of Mineral Resources Development. The objective was to discuss key issues related to mineral resources development in Africa. The Commission took the opportunity to pay a curtsey visit to the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E Uhuru Kenyatta as a member of the Governing Council and Board of Directors of SEAMIC.

SEAMIC is an ISO 9001:2008 Certified Regional Centre of Excellence for mineral geological knowledge and information that was established in 1977 and hosted by the Government of Tanzania. Founder Member States are Ethiopia, Mozambique and Tanzania, later on joined by the Comoros, Angola, Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. Membership is open to all other African countries and a few countries have confirmed or are in the process of joining including; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Nigeria.

During the meeting, Hon Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Mining referring to the Thabo Mbeki report, informed the President that Africa was losing to the tune of $150 billion per year mainly due to poorly negotiated, loop-sided contracts in the extractive industries, through tax evasion, price fixing by the multinational corporations.

He noted with concern that African countries are competing with each other when it comes to attracting investment instead of complementing each other and working together. He emphasized the need to harmonies policies, legal and fiscal regimes so that Africa can speak with one voice and benefit from her huge endowments of natural and mineral resources. He reiterated that while multinational companies were amassing super profits, royalties paid to African Countries are too small "peanuts". This was due to lack of coherent, robust policies, legal and fiscal regimes that are harmonized at regional and continental levels.

Hon Balala further informed the President H. E. Uhuru Kenyatta, that there was a need for Africa to have its own home grown African Extractive Industries Transparency mechanism which provides for multinational companies to be accountable to African countries. He argued that while African governments are accountable to their peoples, international governance initiatives such as Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) were not providing a framework for mutual accountability where the multinational companies were also accountable to African countries.

In concluding his brief, Hon Najib Balala requested the President to spearhead the implementation of the Africa Mining Vision, a continental vision that was endorsed by the AU Heads of State and Government in 2009 to ensure that African countries optimally benefit from minerals and natural resources; to overturn the "Curse Paradox" and ensure that the mineral resources play their transformative role in the social and economic structural transformation of African economies as envisioned by the Agenda 2063 and the Common African Position (CAP) on post 2015 Development Agenda..

In his response H.E Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya thanked the Cabinet Secretary and the SEAMIC member States for the work well done and assured the SEAMIC Governing Council that he will spearhead the process of the implementation of the Africa Mining Vision to ensure that African Union Member States can develop and harmonise at regional and continental levels coherent policies, legal and fiscal regimes that can ensure optimal benefits from the God given natural and minerals resources.

He stressed that it was unacceptable for the multinational corporations to amass super profits while African member States and African people continue to live in abject poverty. He promised to raise the issue with his fellow Heads of State and Government during the forthcoming AU Heads of State and Government Summit due to take place on 14th June in South Africa.

Later on the Governing Council met and deliberated on a number of important issues related to the Minerals Resource development.

The Governing council meeting made very important and landmark decisions on mining as well as regarding the future of SEAMIC and the collaboration with the AUC and African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC). Among the key decisions that we made are the following: harmonization of policy regimes, AUC permanent membership of the Governing Council, the Change of the name from Southern and Eastern African Mineral Centre (SEAMIC) to African Mineral and Geoscience Center (AMGC) and confirmation of the new Director General, among others.

For more information, please contact: Mr. Frank Dixon Mugyenyi, Senior Industry Advisor - Email: MugyenyiF@africa-union.org

Media contact:

Patient Atcho, Department of Trade and Industry – Tel: + 251 912 610 485 - Email: atchop@africa-union.org

For further information:

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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