Press Release Nº045/2014
AUC and TUFTS University sign a cooperation agreement

Addis Ababa, 11 March 2014 – The African Union Commission and Tufts University of Medford, Massachusetts, USA have renewed their cooperation agreement. The areas of cooperation include humanitarian affairs, agriculture and food security, research, education and training as well as projects of economic, social and cultural development. The signing ceremony was held on 10 March 2014, at the AU Commission, (AUC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The MoU was signed by the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, on behalf of the AUC and Prof. Peter Walker, Director, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University.

H.E. Mrs. Tumusiime appreciated the value of this MoU and recognized the active and proactive cooperation that the Commission has enjoyed with Tufts University for the past few years. She indicated that: “the first MoU dates back to 2006 when we agreed to establish a programme of collaboration in areas of interest and benefit to both institutions, in particular to work cooperatively in the preparation of agriculture sector policy and institutional support proposals that are in line with the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)”.

The Commissioner noted the opportune timing of this MOU signing which comes under the 2014 Year of Agriculture and Food Security as well as the 10th Anniversary of the CAADP. “As part of operationalizing this MoU, we will put in place a mechanism for a regular and structured joint review and planning”, she suggested.

During the signing ceremony, prof. Walker expressed the significance of this MoU renewal, and reassured the commitment of Tufts to work together for the successful implementation of different activities under the cooperation agreement.

The two parties agreed to work cooperatively in the preparation of Agriculture Sector Policy and Institutional Support Proposals that are in line with the CAADP as well as other activities.
MTS

Media contact:
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Directorate of Information and Communication, AUC; molalett@africa-union.org; +251-911-630-631