Overview of the 27th AU Summit
By Jennifer S. Chiriga
Chief of Staff, African Union Commission

Oxfam International Multi-stakeholder Pre-Summit Seminar

Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Radisson Blu Hotel
Addis Ababa 

Excellencies, Heads of Diplomatic Missions

Representatives of Regional and International
Organisations

Representatives of Development Partners

Distinguished Participants and Experts

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a pleasure and an honour to join you today in this seminar. I would like to express my thanks to Oxfam International for the invitation to participate in this distinguished gathering.

Let me begin by telling a story I have shared in many forums about a personal encounter a few years ago. A friend of mine, from a far-away country, once said to me “Africa will never get it right. You are forever fighting. Maybe someone should build a 100 metre high wall around the continent, and leave you alone for 100 years. After that one can come and knock a small window in the wall and peep inside. This friend said, I am sure if I look through that little window, I will find that you will all have killed each other, and there will be nothing left”. I did not share his pessimism. Well, I said to him the wall might not be as bad an idea as you portray. With a wall around us we will stop importing guns, our youth will not lose their lives trying to cross oceans in search of job opportunities, and we will have the opportunity to look inwards, and rely on each other and propel ourselves to a bright future. This story always makes me think that a little bit of solitude just might be what the continent needs to introspect, and build the impetus to work together, tap our vast natural resources, build our economies, integrate, and achieve the Africa We Want. For the African Union, integration is at the core of the development agenda.

This brings me to the focus of today’s seminar. As we are all aware, the Assembly is mandated to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the African continent. As the AU’s supreme organ comprising Heads of State and Government from all Member States, it not only determines the Union’s policies, but establishes its priorities and annual programme. In just a few days the 27th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government will be held in Kigali under the Theme: 2016, Year of Human Rights, with a particular focus on the Rights of Women.

Preparation processes are already under way. As usual, the Summit will be prepared and conducted in three stages: the Permanent Representatives Committee, Executive Council and Assembly. The PRC has already started its preliminary work, and this will be concluded by the 32nd Ordinary Session from 10 to 12 July in Kigali. The PRC, in its role of conducting the day to day business of the AU on behalf of the Executive Council, will consider and make recommendations to the EX.CL. on a number of issues. Some of the key issues for deliberation are the Draft 2017 AU budget, Audit Report, strategic partnerships, political governance and humanitarian issues, as well as reports and recommendations on the functioning of AU organs and other relevant institutions and specialized agencies.

The Executive Council in turn, shall review the recommendations of the PRC, recommend to the Assembly the Budget for 2017, and consider reports of its Sub-Committees. The Executive Council will also elect new Commissioners soon after the election of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission. The elected Commissioners will then be appointed by the Assembly along with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson who are elected by the Heads of State. The Executive Council will also elect 4 new Judges for the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

In line with the decision of the Assembly to streamline its working methods, the Assembly will start its work by a closed session aimed at discussing strategic issues including, among others a review of progress in the integration Agenda, the Continental Free Trade Area and the issue of Financing of the Union and Agenda 2063. The Summit will then proceed to the Official Opening and public session on the Theme of the Year of Human Rights. Summit will then go into closed session to adopt the 2017 Budget, and of course the issue of peace and security is a feature of Summit deliberations. The Assembly will then proceed to election and appointment of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson and later on the appointment of the 8 Commissioners as well as the 4 Judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Allow me to mention some of the major events expected on the margins of the Summit. There will be an African Editors Forum, the Launch of African Women Decade Report, Announcement of the Awards for 2016 Gender Score Card, an event on the Culture of Reading, and Launch of the AU passport.

The Popularization of Agenda 2063 through the African Editors Forum, will take place on 13-14 July. The main objectives are to provide a platform for the accurate articulation and better understanding of Agenda 2063 amongst the most senior newsmakers on the continent. The forum will also discuss the role of African media in promoting Africa’s vision. The media is best-placed to shape the African narrative and advocate for African ownership of the Agenda 2063 framework. The Commission is working in collaboration with the African Editors Forum and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.

The other major event, the African Gender Score Card Awards, is an initiative that is being institutionalized by the AU. It is an important monitoring and evaluation tool for measuring progress and influencing policy. The initiative was launched at the June 2015 Summit in Johannesburg when the Chairperson gave Awards to Heads of State of countries that have made significant progress on gender equality goals. The Chairperson will be also be giving awards in Kigali. With the recognition that data is critical in measuring progress, the AUC Women, Gender and Development Department is going to be focusing on strengthening networks with statisticians on the continent.

The African Union is launching the electronic passport (e-Passport). This flagship project, first agreed upon in 2014, falls within the framework of Africa’s Agenda 2063, with the specific aim of facilitating free movement of persons, goods and services around the continent - in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development. The first group of beneficiaries will include: AU Heads of State and Government; Ministers of Foreign Affairs; and the Permanent Representatives of AU Member States based at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen

On the issue of attendance, as per the decision of the Assembly to streamline the Summits, the July Summits are not open to Observers and guests. The July Summit is now mainly devoted to Heads of State taking time alone to talk to each other on strategic issues, and to review implementation of decisions taken in the January Summits. Representations of Non-Member States, International and Regional Organizations based in Kigali will be allowed to attend the opening and public sessions and events of the Summit. On the other hand, African civil society, including pan African institutions and African CSOs from the women and gender cluster, will be invited to the open sessions. The January Summit will then be the normal order of business where Observers are welcome to attend.

Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen

In conclusion I would like to note that in spite of our diverse work environments, we all share a common concern, which is to contribute to the economic development and social progress of the African continent. A strong working partnership between member states, their citizens and development institutions, is the only way to build consensus and make progress on key social and economic development programs.

I thank you for your kind attention.