The Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission (AUC), the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC), African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) in coordination with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) organized a training workshop and steering meeting session for AU Commission staff on the draft Protocol on Statelessness in Africa and the international legal frameworks for the prevention and eradication of stateless in Africa from 04 – 05 September 2023.

Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of Her Excellency H.E. Amb. Minata SAMATE CESSOUMA, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs & Social Development (HHS), Professor Julio RAKOTONIRINA, Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate of the African Union Commission (AUC) commended the leadership of the Bureau of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees, and Displaced Persons and PRC Sub-Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, the team of experts from the AU Commission, the Banjul Commission through its Vice-Chairperson and former Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Migrants, Asylum-Seekers, Stateless Persons and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, Ms. Maya Sahli Fadel who has played a leading role in the progress of this file, as well as the UNCHR for the remarkable done on the right to nationality and the eradication statelessness in Africa during the past 10 years. Professor Julio further expressed his gratitude to the organs of the African Union, namely the African Commission on International Law as well as the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, that work closely with HHS on the issue of statelessness for their commitment and dedication to defending the rights of the most vulnerable people in our societies. He also highlighted the exemplary collaboration of the Commission and all the stakeholders and how this partner demonstrates the readiness to support efforts to develop an appropriate legal instrument to facilitate access to nationality and protect the rights of stateless persons in Africa.

Dr. Buti Kale, UNHCR Representative to the AU & UNECA, reminded the participants that Statelessness is not theoretical but a life-altering, life-halting reality that adversely affects millions of people in Africa and has direct, dire consequences on the lives and livelihoods of individuals, families and communities on the continent. He also highlighted the role of UNHCR as a protection agency through the ten-year (2014-2024) “#I Belong” Campaign that aims to eradicate statelessness by the end of 2024. Dr. Kale recalled that Agenda 2063, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other African conventions on the protection of forcibly displaced persons enshrine the rights of “all” Africans, including stateless persons. He concluded that no single African should be left behind.

H.E. Ambassador Mahlaba Almon Mamba, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Eswatini and Chairperson of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees, and IDPs delivering welcome remarks reiterated that the matter of statelessness is a plague on the continent of Africa that needs to determined effort of AU Member States to prevent and to eradicate.

The issue of statelessness and deprivation of nationality in Africa remains at the heart of the African Union's concerns. It is a humanitarian issue with serious consequences in terms of stability and human development. It is also a human rights issue linked to the denial of an essential right and the absence of an enabling legal framework. Finally, it is a security issue, with consequences for the peace and stability of our States, because although it concerns a significant layer of society, it leads to exclusion and identity crisis and thus creates a favourable condition for crime and political violence.