Pretoria, South Africa 7 June 2015 - The 30th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), started today in Pretoria, South Africa with a call by the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Erastus Mwencha for a greater drive to deliver prosperity to Africans. The PRC meeting is being held in the context of the 25th Summit of the African Union.

“We have to deliver prosperity to the people of the continent”, Mr Mwencha told members of the PRC in his opening remarks, while highlighting developments being undertaken by the African Union, under its 50 year Agenda 2063 framework to achieve integration, prosperity and peace. The Deputy Chairperson mentioned that progress is being made in the high speed train project where a task force has been designated to follow up on implementation. He spoke of the continental effort, led by the AU, to fight the Ebola virus disease where he said the continent now sees hope of defeating the disease. He commended the African volunteer health workers who went to the affected countries as well as the private sector for contributing resources.

Mr Mwencha highlighted progress in the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area, informing the meeting that the CFTA will be launched during the on-going summit. He described the project as having the capacity to bring industrialisation and prosperity.

The Deputy Chairperson said Africa does not have the time to do things slowly. “We cannot wait for another two decades” to emerge out of poverty, he said, adding that it is for this reason that the first ten year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 has agreed to fast track a number of initiatives that will transform the continent. They include poverty eradication, undertaking a skills revolution, growing the continent’s economies, modernisation of agriculture and agro industries, connecting the continent, doubling intra African trade, mainstreaming women and youth, silencing the guns, enhancing Africa’s voice on the global stage and strengthening domestic resource mobilisation.

The Chairperson of the PRC, Ambassador Albert R. Chimbindi made the welcome remarks to the PRC meeting. He urged the PRC and the African Union Commission (AUC) to lead the process of improving the working of the African Union and to facilitate the smooth functioning of the policy organs of the AU. He also said the PRC has the responsibility to ensure the judicious use of the resources of the Union and to follow up on the implementation of the decisions made by the policy organs of the Union.

The South African government, which is hosting the summit, was represented by its Director General of International Relations, Amb Jerry Matjila who noted that the summit is taking place at a critical moment as it is expected to adopt the 10 year implementation plan of Agenda 2063. The Union, he said has to streamline its working methods, respond to challenges of peace and security as well as carve a participatory role for Africa in the international governance system.

The African Union summit this year is being held under the theme “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.

The PRC meeting is the first of three statutory meetings to be held under the on-going 25th summit of the African Union, holding from today till the 15th of June. Tomorrow, the PRC will adopt its report before handing it over to the meeting of the Executive Council to be held from the 11th to the 12th of June for further consideration and adoption. The final meeting of the summit will be that of the Heads of State and Government to take place from 14th to 15th June. It is this body, under its Chairperson President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, which will declare the final outcomes of the summit and the way forward.

The PRC comprises members of the Permanent Representatives Committee, who are their countries’ permanent representatives to the African Union as well as other Plenipotentiaries of member states.

WZM

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