Addis Ababa, 13 October 2017: The Department of Political Affairs (DPA) of the African Union Commission (AUC) concluded a two-day joint consultative workshop between the AU and the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on human rights issues in Africa.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Department of Political Affairs, Department of Social Affairs, Department of Peace and Security, Women, Gender and Development Directorate, the Office of Special Envoy on Women and Peace and Security and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Other participants included the representatives of the United Nations System, namely the OHCHR-EAO, OHCHR-Geneva, UNAOAU, UNAMID, and the UN Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan.

The AU-OHCHR partnership in the area of human rights promotion and protection has been getting stronger over the years as it can be seen from the numerous AU and UN resolutions as well as policy decisions adopted within the broader framework of Joint Cooperation.

In the area of human rights, the African Union Commission (AUC) and OHCHR have already taken the AU-UN partnership to an operational level, including through the signing of MoU as well as creation of coordination platforms. The AUC Department of Political Affairs (DPA/AUC), in addition to its pivotal role in forging better collaboration with the UN in the area of human rights, has been playing a leading role in ongoing efforts to shape the AU involvement in the promotion and protection of the human rights by developing the 10-Year Action Plan of the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade in Africa.

The Annual Dialogue is aimed at exploring the nature and modality of the implementation of the 10-Years Action Plan of the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade in Africa based on the signed MoU between the AU and the OHCHR.

The specific objectives of the Dialogue are to:

• Share information on the draft 10-Year Action Plan of the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade (HRPD) in Africa.
• Review key policy and operational status for the implementation of the 10-Year Action Plan.
• Deliberate on approaches for the enhancement of cooperation and collaboration between the DPA/AUC and the OHCHR
• Develop an implementation roadmap for the implementation of the 10-Years Action Plan.
• Plan for the AU and UN High level Dialogue on Human Rights in Africa

The Consultation was opened by a number of statements from the UNOAU, OHCHR and DPA/AUC. On behalf of the UN Office to the AU, Mr. Nurudeen Aziz welcomed all participants to this important meeting and called for greater coordination and collaboration between the AU and the UN to promote and protect human rights in Africa. Mr. Mahamane Cisse-Gouro, Chief of Africa Branch of the OHCHR, began his statement by applauding the Commissioner for Political Affairs of the AUC for her efforts in organizing this joint meeting on human rights towards the adoption of modalities and framework for enhancing the level of coordination between the AU and the OHCHR to promote and protect human rights in Africa.

Mr. Mahamane Cisse-Gouro expressed optimism that this Consultation would help reinforce the existing relationship between the AU and the OHCHR. He also stressed that the importance of the signed MoU between the AU and the OHCHR in the promotion and protection of human rights, justice, accountability and reconciliation in Africa.

On behalf of H.E. Mrs. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Mr. Mbari Calixte, the Ag. Head of DGHRE Division, officially opened the Consultation by calling on all participants to focus on identifying modalities for enhancing cooperation and collaboration to better promote and protect human rights in Africa. He also called for more support to the human rights observation missions currently deployed in Burundi and DRC. Mr. Mbari concluded by indicating that the objective of this Consultation is to explore the nature and modality of implementation of the 10-Year Action Plan of the Human and Peoples’ Rights Decade (HPRD) in Africa.

The meeting was officially closed by remarks from Mr. Calixte A Mbari and Mr. Mahamane Cisse-Gouro both of whom unreservedly expressed gratitude to the participants, most especially to the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, for their participation in charting a way forward for stronger cooperation to promote human rights, peace, justice, accountability in Africa.

Media inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. John Ikubaje | Human Rights Officer | Department of Political Affairs | African Union Commission | E-mail: IkubajeJ@africa-union.org | Web: www.au.int |Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Website: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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