The 3^rd AU-China Human Rights Dialogue will be hosted virtually by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC) on 10 September 2021. The Dialogue will be led by the AUC/PAPS Ag. Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention and the China Special Representative for Human Rights in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The AU-China Human Rights Dialogue is intended, among others, to establish a platform for sharing experience and best practices in the area of the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights. The Dialogue also entails sharing of experience on issues related to Democratic Principles and the Rule of Law in Africa and in China, with a view to overcoming the challenges and consolidating the achievements, as well as enhancing coordination on Human Rights issues in international organizations and multilateral fora, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Building on the recommendations and priority areas of collaboration during the first and second dialogues, and cognizant of the African Union’s theme of the year in 2021 ‘’ Year of the Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want”, the third AU/China Human Rights dialogue will focus on strategies and collaboration on how to promote Social-Economic and Cultural Rights (ESCR).

The 2021 AU-China Dialogue will bring together officials from the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the leadership of the Special Representative for Human Rights, and the representatives of the African Union Human Rights Institutions.

The African Union and China’s relationship cut across socio, political, and economic spectrums. In addition, one similar attribute in the field of human rights that is embedded in the socio-cultural environments of the two, namely Africa and China, is the communal nature of the society, which invariably, has impacts on the ‘’peoples’ rights’’ in the two societies. It was in the context of the foregoing, among other explanations, and coupled with the common share values of people’s rights that the idea of human and peoples’ rights dialogue between the two evolved.

The dialogue will contribute to advancing human and peoples’ rights in the dual respective jurisdictions. More interesting on the way forward, the dialogue eulogised the development of the AU ten-year human and peoples’ rights Action Plan for Africa, which has now been officially adopted by the AU organ as another important milestone and entry point for interaction between the Africa and China on human and people’s rights in Africa. It was also agreed that Aspirations 3 and 6 of the Africa Agenda 2063 on human rights, rule of law and citizens participation in governance, particularly among the women and youth, will form part of the focus of the future dialogue and cooperation.

For more information related to the Third AU-China Dialogue, contact:

Mr. John Ikubaje | Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union Commission | Tel: +251 115182615 | Email: Gbodij@africa-union.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate | E-mail: GamalK@africa-union.org

Mr. Paschal Chem-Langhee | Communication Officer | Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department | E-mail: Chem-LangheeP@africa-union.org

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