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Statement by the African Union Commission Chairperson, HE Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to the High level Meeting on Ebola Response
UNGA, New York. 25 September 2014

 
UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliason
Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director General
President of Guinea
Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government
Dr. Jim Kim from the World Bank
Ministers, Leaders of Delegations
Representatives from International health organisations
Ladies and Gentlemen

The Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has caused untold miseries to the peoples of these countries and therefore requires our solidarity, coordinated responses and urgent interventions.

We therefore welcome this initiative by the United Nations to convene a Global Ebola Response Coalition, to enable us to make swift, comprehensive and effective interventions to halt the spread of the disease and address the public health crisis.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

The current Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa is unprecedented, both in terms of the region where it is occurring and the number of infections and deaths. Its occurrence in countries that have just emerged from conflicts and are still rebuilding their public health systems, as well as public trust and social cohesion, makes this a huge burden. It has a severe impact on health workers and women, who are at the frontline of the disease in these countries. It also adversely affects children, who are often left orphaned, with no families to take care of them.

Our coordinated and urgent responses to the crisis is therefore necessary: to provide the three countries with financial assistance, with equipment, protective clothing, mobile laboratories and other facilities, to be able to track and contain the disease, and to provide treatment to the sick in a secure environment. Most important, as a result of the severe impact on health workers in these countries, they require health personnel (doctors, technicians, clinicians, nurses) that can help with the immediate and urgent interventions.

Many organizations have shown their solidarity by being in the frontline of efforts in these countries, and we must here single out the medical professionals and health workers especially from Médecins Sans Frontières, the Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, as well as the US Centre for Disease Control. The African Union Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA), has started deploying the first team of medical and other volunteer personnel from various African countries to Liberia. This includes medical specialists from countries such as Uganda and the DRC that have dealt with Ebola before. We shall be sending further teams to Sierra leone and Guine, but it is yet a drop in the oceans, we need hundreds more volunteers.

Secondly, we have to ensure that countries in the neighbourhood and other regions have systems in place to prevent and trace infection. The ECOWAS and African Ministers of Health, working with the World Health Organisations, since their first meetings in April this year, have already begun to coordinate national and regional efforts in this regard.

Thirdly, the disease in its current manifestations also place economic burdens on the countries concerned, ranging from fiscal strains with money having to be diverted from other causes to fight the disease, restrictions on informal and cross-border trade, as well as on agriculture. Our comprehensive measures therefore have to also look at this economic dimension and we thank the World Bank and the African Development Bank for their efforts in this regard, but we should all do more in this regard.

The recent Emergency session of the African Union Executive Council noted that we should avoid compounding the burden on the affected states, by taking measures whose impact may lead to worse consequences than the disease itself. It was in this context that the Emergency session called on Member states to lift all travel bans on flights and passengers from the affected countries, and to cooperate to put in place measures at borders to ensure screening. We thank those countries who have already lifted the travel ban, and urged those who have not done so to recommence flights to these countries.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

The Global Coalition to be launched today must look at all these immediate and urgent issues. At the same time, effective disease control is about having strong public health systems in place, with access to health care for all and institutions at national, regional and continental levels to share information on diseases.

As we assist the affected countries to respond to this immediate crisis, we must not loose sight of this, so that we build resilience in the long term and prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.

We hope that the plea made by the Secretary General and other speakers, for all of us to act with speed, will be heeded.

The African Union will continue to stand by the three countries and the region during this difficult period, and thank all partners and the UN system for the continued support and solidarity.

I thank you

Speech of the President of the Federation of NGOs of Sao Tome E Principe, Mr. Manuel Gorge De Carvallio Do Rio at the ECOSOCC Sensitization and Motivation Campaign held in São Tomé and Principe

Opening Remarks by The Commissioner of Trade and Industry on the Occasion of the 6th Ordinary meeting of the African Union Sub-Committee of Directors General of Customs

Remarks by the

Chairperson of the African Union Commission

H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma

to the

Ministerial Meeting of the Peace and Security Council on the Situation in Libya

September 23nd, 2014

New York, USA

 
Your Excellency, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chad, Chairperson of the PSC,

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member countries of the Peace and Security Council,

Commissioner for Peace and Security, Sergui Smail and other AU Commissioners

Ambassadors,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the AU Commission, I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the Republic of Chad, chair of the Peace and Security Council for September, for the initiative to convene this important meeting. We are grateful to the other members of Council for their support to the holding of this meeting.

We are convening this meeting on Libya at a time of growing concern in Africa and internationally for the rapidly deteriorating situation in that country. It has been three years since the popular uprising that overthrew the Qaddafi regime, but the Libyan people have yet to fully achieve their aspirations to peace, security, democracy and socio-economic wellbeing.

We find ourselves today in a situation of weakened state authority, the division of the country into distinct areas controlled by rival armed groups, the growth of violent extremism, the proliferation of arms, the prevalence of organized crime groups and the worsening of the trafficking of human beings across the Sahara to Europe.

The humanitarian situation is of utmost concern, especially the situation of women and children. We condemn in the strongest terms the violence directed against civilians and civilian institutions.

This dire situation poses a threat to the very existence of the country and its national cohesion. But it also poses a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability.

Libya is an important member of the African Union. Our meeting here today is therefore aimed at working with our Libyan brothers and sisters to find a solution to the challenges facing them. It is important for the Peace and Security Council to issue a strong appeal to the Libyan stakeholders to put an immediate end to the spiral of violence and to work to achieve the peace, security, democracy and prosperity for which so many have already sacrificed their lives.

Excellencies

At the same time, the Peace and Security Council should reiterate the AU’s continued support to Libya’s legitimate institutions, in particular the House of Representatives as the sole legislative authority in the country. Let me seize this opportunity to welcome the endorsement of a new Cabinet by the House of Representatives yesterday.

I would like to reiterate that there is no military solution to the crisis in Libya. The Libyan stakeholders must therefore do all in their powers to conclude a cessation of hostilities and begin meaningful negotiations toward an inclusive dialogue based on respect for the democratic process, and the unequivocal rejection of terrorism and violent extremism.

It is imperative that all Libyan stakeholders come together, in the interests of the continued survival of Libya as a united state. This includes giving Libyan women the opportunity to participate in the negotiations on the future of their country.

The African Union, as always, stands ready to participate in all processes aimed at addressing the crisis. History has taught us that a failure to place the continent at the centre of efforts is likely to hamper the chances of success.

I think we should ensure that the continent is at the centre of finding a lasting solution.

Libya is an African country and is a founding country of the African Union. We therefore pledge our continued solidarity to Libya and its people in their time of need. A stable, democratic and prosperous Libya will be an asset for the continent as a whole.

In concluding, I would like to express the AU’s appreciation to the countries of the region for their continued commitment and support to the Libyan people. As we move forward, I have no doubt that we can continue to rely on their engagement and deep knowledge of the situation to facilitate a lasting solution to the crisis.

I thank you.

Address by the

Chairperson of the African Union Commission

H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma

on the occasion of the

3rd Annual African First Ladies Discussion on

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

September 22nd, 2014

Credit Suisse, 1 Madison Avenue,

New York, USA

 
Your Excellency, President Jakaya Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
Honourable First Ladies

Chairperson of the Bunengi Foundation, Ms. Savannah Maziya and Board members

Our sister, Honorable Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women

Excellency Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology of the African Union Commission

Fellow panellists, Ms. Julia Gupta from Credit Suisse and Mr. Kamran Khan, Vice President of Compact Operations
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

I am honoured, on behalf of the African Union Commission, to participate in this 3rd Annual African First Ladies discussion on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); an issue that is so critical for African development.

We have made the point so many times, and will keep repeating it, that African development will not happened at the pace and depth it needs, without the empowerment of its girls, its youth and its women; and it will not happen by neglecting 50% of Africa’s talent, as Savanna so eloquently said.

The Common African Position on the Post 2015 Development Goals, correctly notes: “investment in children, youth and women always generate substantial development multipliers with positive effects on all sectors of the economy and society.”

The Common African Position, and our vision for the next fifty years, Agenda 2063 therefore emphasise the need for gender parity and equality, as well as the development of African skills and technological capacities as a driver of our transformation agenda.

Our people, especially young men and women, are our most precious resources, and we need to develop their skills, especially in the STEM areas, to modernise agriculture and agro-processing; to build, expand and maintain our infrastructure; to develop manufacturing and add value to our natural resources and to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Africa’s capacity to feed itself now and in the future requires increasing investments in climate change research, biotechnology research and development, and innovation.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

One of the key MDG goals was to achieve gender parity in education. By, 2014 out of forty-eight (48) countries that provided data, 18 countries achieved gender parity at primary school level.

In Africa, as is the case across the world, we are also beginning to see some increases in the number of girls that takes science and maths at primary school level. As they enter higher levels of education, however, the numbers of girls and young women steadily decrease.

Even in countries where girls and boys complete secondary school in equal numbers and with similar scores in maths and sciences, there are fewer women majoring in science and engineering at universities. By graduation, men outnumber women in nearly every science and engineering field, and in some, such as physics, engineering, and computer science, the difference is dramatic, with women earning only 20 percent of bachelor’s degrees.
Deliberate efforts are therefore needed to ensure that girls and young women have access to primary, secondary and higher education, and that they are steered towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Countries where such efforts are being made are beginning to see movements in the right direction. For example, Rwanda since 2006 implements a deliberate strategy to promote women’s participation in science, maths and technology (SMT) as part of the country’s vision to create a knowledge-based society. Thus they have increased the percentage of girls enrolled in maths and chemistry in secondary education from 22% and 35% respectively in 2004 to 30% and 45% respectively by 2010.

A survey amongst Nigerian women science, maths and technology university graduates showed a drastic increase in the number of females graduating in SMT discipline over the years: only 5% received their degrees in 1980 and before, 25% between 1981 and 1990 and rising to 70% between 1991 and 2000.

The Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in 2009 saw women as percentage of total science and technology enrolments range from 17% and 18% at universities in Kenya and Uganda respectively, to 24% and 27% for Tanzania and Rwanda . The female proportion of science and technology academic staff at these East African universities was even more shocking: 2% in Rwanda, 3% in Kenya, 5% in Uganda and 7 % in Tanzania. And of course, if you don’t have role models in STEM, they will not be attracted to these areas.

Studies on the reasons for the low participation of girls and women in science, technology and mathematics identified early childhood environment, family expectations, societal image, gender stereotypes, and the school environment and gender issues more broadly , as amongst the reasons for the continued low participation of girls and women in STEM. In addition, the UNESCO Atlas of Gender Equality in Education, also identifies other factors such as the importance of female role models in girls’ academic success; and distance from school, which impacts more on girls than on boys. The broader issue of access and quality of education are therefore also important.

The Forum for African Women Educators (FAWE) introduced its SMT model in 2005, featuring activities such as science camps, clubs and study tours for girls, publishing profiles on women achievers in science-based fields, exposing girls to female role models in science and technology fields and by awarding achievers in SMT subjects. This model has been introduced in a number of countries across the continent . Schools where this have been introduced are beginning to see higher rates of girls’ participation in STEM subjects, improved test scores, as well as improvements in teachers’ attitudes towards girls’ abilities and participation in STEM and improvements in instructional materials for these subjects.

The work by initiatives such as the African First Ladies and the Bunengi Foundation is therefore critical, to advocate for more girls and women in education and in STEM, but also more generally to advocate for changes in the overall status of women. The AU is also involved in campaigns against early marriages, and to keep girls in school for as long as possible.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Technology brings about great changes and opportunities to leapfrog development. The African continent faces great challenges, but at the same time have huge opportunities: its people, its natural resources and the positive trajectory on a number of social and economic indicators, including growth, participation in education, progress on maternal mortality, on the HIV pandemic, on gender equality and on peace and security.
To address our challenges and to turn our opportunities into shared prosperity for all, we must invest in our most important resource - our people and we must go stem

We therefore congratulate the African First Ladies and the Bunengi Foundation for the work they do to champion girls participation in STEM, and look forward to working with them on these issues.

I thank you