Events

Enhancing capacities for conflict prevention and mediation of the Africa Union and the Regional Economic Communities

Addis Ababa, 21st June 2013 – The African Union Commission (AU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will from 24 to 25 June 2013 organise a two day consultation on strengthening the linkage between national, regional and continental efforts in conflict prevention and mediation. The consultation will be held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Committee Room 2, Old Conference Building.

Recent global analysis points towards a range of new emerging patterns or drivers of change in Africa that are affecting the development environment. Most of these trends have either a direct or indirect link with the re-occurrence of episodes of violent conflict or even war. They point to the realisation that lack of inclusive governance as well as lack of sustainable conflict transformation and consensus building skills are reducing the development gains in countries affected by conflicts.

The various change processes in parts of the continent demonstrate the potential to lead to greater participation and more inclusive governance structures, and the possibility to contribute to peace and prosperity. However, without mechanism to peacefully handle the tensions resulting from shifting power dynamics, these changes can result in new levels of social disorder, violence and even war.

For the AU and the UNDP, building on the successes and gains of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and its various mechanisms, the most effective way to prevent tensions from leading violent conflict lies in facilitating inclusive and sustained dialogue over the contentious issues.

Dialogue can promote mutual understanding, build trust among the stakeholders and create options for constructive problem solving and joint action to prevent violence. This is why building and strengthening national capacities and mechanisms for structured dialogue to take place to peacefully settle conflicts lies at the core of strategically linking national conflict prevention capacities and mechanisms to the regional and continental peace and security architecture. This will contribute to building on the complementarity of national, sub-regional and regional efforts in supporting mediation and non-violent resolution of conflicts and tensions.

This consultation will explore all these issues and more, and contribute a new understanding and action points on how to more effectively strengthen collaboration between the AU Commission and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as on how to integrate national conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms and capacities within the sub-regional and regional efforts.

Journalists are invited to cover the opening and closing ceremonies of the consultation on strengthening the linkage between national, regional and continental efforts in conflict prevention and mediation

Programme attached
Contact:
Ms. Yaye N. Sène
Directorate of Information and Communication
E-mail: seney@africa-union.org; Cell : +251 913 45 31 13

AMISOM condemns attack on UNCC compound in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, Somalia; 19th June 2013; The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif has strongly condemned today’s terrorist attack on the United Nations Common Compound in Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab terrorists.

“We strongly condemn the cowardly attack on the United Nations compound in Mogadishu. These futile attacks by Al-Shabaab are only aimed at disrupting the ongoing efforts by the Somali people to recover from years of violence in Somalia and will not deter our collective efforts to continue supporting the people of Somalia rebuild their country” said The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif.

Ambassador Mahamet Annadif praised the quick reaction of AMISOM Special Forces and Somali security forces and stressed that AMISOM will spare no efforts to stabilize Somalia.

The African Union and AMISOM today stand with the Somali people,” said Amb Annadif, as he sent his condolences to those who had lost loved ones in the attack and his prayers for the quick recovery of the wounded.

For more information, please Contact;
Eloi Yao and Lt. Colonel Ali Eden Houmed, Spokespersons,
Cell phone: (Nairobi) +254702155126 ; E-mail: amisommediacentre@gmail.com

High level meeting convenes to prepare for the Africa/Turkey Summit

Addis Ababa, 19th June 2013 – A high level official meeting of Africa - Turkey partnership convened today Wednesday 19th June 2013 at the African Union headquarters with a focus on the preparations of the upcoming 2nd Africa-Turkey Summit.

Ambassador Konjit Sinegorgis, permanent representative of Ethiopia to the AU and current Chair of the Permanent Representative Committee in her opening remarks appreciated the “excellent” bilateral relations between Turkey and most African countries. She further said "Ordinary citizens of Africa and Turkey as well as the rest of the world should know, appreciate and draw lessons from the strategic cooperation that exists between our continent and Turkey at multilateral level".(Find the full speech of Amb. Konjit on AU website: www.au.int)

Ambassador Jean-Baptist Natama, Chief of Staff, Bureau of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), in his statement said the AUC is witnessing the continuous progress of the partnership between African countries and Turkey at the bilateral level and the continuous increase in the volume and diversification of trade between the two sides. The Ambassador stressed on the need to create closer relations between African and Turkish business communities through organization of trade and investment promotion events and creation of joint structure for more opportunities for expanding trade and investment between the two sides.

Ambassador Jean-Baptist Natama emphasized that the progress made by the current partnership between the two sides is to make sure that it meets Africa's expectations in terms of integration and development of the Continent. The AUC Chief of Staff concluded his statement by assuring that the African side will do its level best to ensure the 2nd Africa-Turkey Summit a great success. “. (Find the full speech of Chief of Staff on AU website: www.au.int)

Ambassador Birnur Fertekligir, Deputy under Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey on her part briefed the meeting on the project of Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TICA) to the African continent. She further stressed on the need of close collaboration between her country and the African continent for a better and successful partnership in the different areas of mutual interest between the two sides.

Joint Press Release

WEBSITE FOR THE HIGH LEVEL MEETING FOR AFRICA ON ENDING HUNGER LAUNCHED

Addis Ababa, 17 June 2013- From 30th June to 1st July, African and international leaders as well as other key stakeholders in the food security sector will meet at the African Union headquarters with a focus on renewing partnership for a unified approach to end hunger in Africa.

The High Level Meeting on Renewed Partnership for a Unified Approach to End Hunger in Africa is jointly convened by the African Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Lula Institute. The meeting will commit to a set of principles, policies and strategies to resolve the problem of hunger by 2025, which will feed into the national and regional Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme (CAADP) Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans.

The meeting will also brainstorm ways to support African countries, their governments and organized civil society to incorporate successful experiences from other countries.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Lula Institute will deliver the keynote address on Ending Hunger through a Unified Approach, in which he will share the Brazilian experience.

The major outcomes of the meeting will be:
• A declaration expressing political commitment to promote and unify African and international efforts: to fight hunger; to share technology; to boost the resilience of rural communities; to build or rebuild rural livelihoods; and assure food security for urban populations.
• Identification of immediate joint action to be taken in a specific place in Africa, to showcase the potential of this coordinated initiative.

In order to support the summit, the African Union Commission and NEPAD, as well as the FAO and Lula institute have launched a joint website at: http://pages.au.int/endhunger. The website offers experiences from Africa and other regions and provides a one-stop shop for all issues regarding the meeting.
MEDIA CONTACTS:

African Union Commission
Mrs Wynne Musabayana
Deputy Head of Communication and Information
Tel: +251115182555
MusabayanaW@africa-union.org

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Mehdi Drissi
Chief: Media Relations Branch
Office for Communication, Partnerships and Advocacy (OCP)
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153
Roma, Italia
Tel: +39 06 570 56479
Cell: +39 346 988 3190

Commemoration of the Day of the African Child Calls for the Elimination of Harmful Social and Cultural Practices in Africa

Addis Ababa, 14th June 2013: Under the theme of “Eliminating Harmful Social and Cultural Practices Affecting Children: Our Collective Responsibility”, the African Union, together with a group of African children and partners, celebrated the 23rd Day of the African Child (DAC), today Thursday 14th June 2013, at its New Conference Centre Headquarter in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Organised by the Department of Social Affairs and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), DAC 2013 aims to draw attention on harmful social and cultural practices against children, and highlight the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders. In particular, underscoring the roles and responsibilities of the States Parties to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) in order to combat and eliminate harmful practices against children in Africa.

Officially opening the ceremony, H.E. Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, AUC Commissioner of Social Affairs, said the continent's children continue to endure violence, humiliation and other ills perpetrated by and in the interest of the few in the name of cruel age-old traditions that have lost meaning and relevance.

"We need to wake up and ensure that necessary and urgent steps are taken to eradicate injurious, violence oriented and harmful socio-cultural practices against the continent's children," he added. (see complete speech of Dr. Kaloko on the AU website: www.au.int ).

Emphasized on the critical situations of African children, the Mr. David Throp, Country Director of Plan International said the ACRWC requires State Parties "to eliminate social and cultural practices affecting the welfare, dignity, normal growth and development of a child." The large majority of countries in Africa - 48 in total - have ratified the charter and other relevant human rights instruments, he said.

Mr. Victory Koyi, Kenya National Director on his opening speech hit the proverbial hammer on the head pointing out that the list of harmful social and cultural practices in Africa that affect the wellbeing of children is endless. He emphasized that issues including forced marriages, honour killings and sexual slavery were some of the practices that have led to emotional and physical scars on children, and in some cases, their eventual death, he added.
He urged African governments to ensure that departments dealing with children need to be highly prioritized in budgetary allocations. He concluded by quoting Nelson Mandela saying that “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.”
Dr. Benyam Dawit Mezmur Chairperson of the ACERWC, used this occasion to recall the 1976 uprisings in Soweto stating that the DAC further presents an opportunity to reflect on lived realities of African children today. He said protecting children from all forms of violence, including harmful practices is an imperative of human rights.
He further stressed that while law reform and child friendly policies are important, they are insufficient on their own in guaranteeing the safety of children. In his conclusion, he stated that the year of Pan-Africanism declared by the AUC underscores the need to make progress on the unfinished business of creating an Africa fit for Children.
The event, which was moderated by children, also featured presentations by Girls Not Brides, Save the Children, Africa Child Policy Forum, Inter-African Committee on Harmful Practices, Experts representing AU Member State and Partners, an Intergenerational Panel Discussions on the theme of DAC 2013, with participation of five children representing Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central regions of Africa.

The event was attended by high officials of the AUC, the ACERWC, representatives of AU Member States, UN agencies, Country Directors of international organizations, as well as children from Egypt, Kenya, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zambia.

It is to be recalled that the ACRWC, which has been ratified by 47 African countries as of today, recognizes the need to take appropriate measures to promote and protect the rights and welfare of the African child.

DAC is celebrated each year since 1991 to raise awareness and urge everyone to make their utmost efforts in protecting the rights and the welfare of the child in Africa.

For further information, consult AU website: www.au.int