The Standing Committee Meeting of the Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union Concludes in Khartoum

Khartoum, Sudan, 29th May 2015 –Members of the Standing Committee of the Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)of the African Union concluded their meeting for the 1st ordinary session of the standing committee of the organ. The Standing Committee is the executive organ of the ECOSOCC empowered by statutes for coordinating the work of the ECOSOCC and for preparing and submitting annual reports to the assembly of the union.
The meeting of the Standing Committee amongst other considered and approved the report that will be presented by the Organ to the 27thOrdinary Session of the Executive Council and to the 25th Ordinary session of the Assembly of the Union in Johannesburg, South Africa from 07 – 15 June 2015. The meeting debated and agreed also on the modalities of activation and setting up of different clusters committees of ECOSOCC, which are the main operational arm of the Organ and endorsed the ECOSOCC budget for 2016 as presented to the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) sub-committee on budget in Mekele, Ethiopia on 18thMay 2015. This meeting was also an opportunity for the Standing Committee to discuss the establishment of National ECOSOCC Chapter which upon completion will be submitted for consideration to Member States.
It is to be noted that the meeting coincided with the celebration of the Africa Day which was commemorated with a sensitization programme for Sudanese Civil Society Organizations and a press conference in Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in Khartoum as part of the general programme of activities. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, The National Group for Human Rights-Sudan, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and relevant Authorities were among those present at the event.
The ECOSOCC Standing Committee Meeting comprised of several side events most notably a symposium on the Negative Impact on the Unilateral Coercive Measures on Human Rights in Sudan which was attended by African students and took place in the International University of Africa in Khartoum.

Notes for Editors:

The delegation was led by Mr. Joseph Chilengi, Presiding Officer of ECOSOCC, supported by the Head of ECOSOCC secretariat and Director of CIDO, Representatives of the AU Commission, Chairpersons of Sectorial Cluster Committees, as well as invited guests from other organs of the AU such as the African Commission of Human and People Rights (ACHPR).

The ECOSOCC General Assembly is the highest decision and pol icy making body of ECOSOCC as stated in Article 9 (1) of the ECOSOCC Statute.. The recognition of the role of the General Assembly as contained in Article 9 of the Statutes will enable a reflection on ECOSOCC roles and boundaries, its duties and responsibilities and its precise relationship with the Commission as well as other Organs of the Union.

During the 24thAUSummit held in January 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Executive Council of the Union adopted Decision EX.CL /Dec. 869 (XXVI) on the 2nd Permanent General Assembly of ECOSOCC. This Decision recognized and endorsed the outcome of ECOSOCC General Assembly election in Nairobi in December 2014 and gave ECOSOCC certain Union responsibilities.

The 1st session of the 2ndpermanent General Assembly of ECOSOCC was held from 26 February to 1 March 2015 in Cairo, Egypt. The aim of the Assembly meeting was to orient the newly elected members about their roles and responsibilities and develop a roadmap to guide the path of ECOSOCC in achieving their goals. In order to achieve that, the newly elected members embarked on choosing the cluster chairpersons, electing the Credentials Committee and constituting the Standing Committee as the executive organ to coordinate the work of ECOSOCC in accordance with articles 10 and 11 of the ECOSOCC Statutes.

This Standing Committee provides support to the work of ECOSOCC General Assembly and sets the pace for effective operational activities in 2015 and 2016.
http://pages.au.int/ecosocc

For any inquiry, please contact:

Dr. Jinmi Adisa | Director, CIDO and Head of the Secretariat of ECOSOCC | E-mail:JinmiA@africa-union.org or jinmiadisa@gmail.com

Mr. Jalel Chelba | Head of Civil Society Division, | E-mail: JalelC@Africa-union.org

Mr. Gamal Ahmed A. Karrar | Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission | Tel: +251911361185 | E-mail:gamalk@africa-union.org

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